Chapter 2

Inside the hut – a temporary shelter of Naya’s group – Naya stood before the pack beta.

Beta Alfredo walked forward and gave a paper to Naya.

Naya received the paper and looked at it, confused.

Before she could ask any questions, the tall man before her spoke. “Alpha and his children had seen your intelligence and skills for the past recent years. They decided to promote you to a higher-ranking beta warrior. You will have a pack house in the main village once you turn twenty-five.”

Naya’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at the man, staring at his expression.

His face remained unreadable, however, making Naya wonder what he actually felt inside.

After the announcement, Beta Alfredo sat with Naya and discussed more things related to their pack. Naya and the other beta warriors had been away from home for a year, securing the borders and training at the same time as part of the pack. It was only through Beta Alfredo that they would receive news from the main village where the rest of the pack members lived including the Alpha and his family.

“I guess that’s everything. If you don’t have any questions, I shall head to the other borders and check their situation,” Beta Alfredo said, rising from his seat.

“Are you proud of me?” Naya asked.

The tall man exuding of might and pride stood in front of Naya. He looked at Naya, paused for a long time, before he released a sigh and said, “Of course. Your achievements are also my achievements.” He paused, then quickly continued, “But there are things that will make me even prouder.”

“The mainland’s royal heir,” Naya said, glancing up.

Her father, Alfredo, the beta of Light Shadow Pack, went silent. Then a small, meaningful, heavy smile appeared on his face. He nodded.

Naya swallowed down, her heart thudding at the mention of the two words – royal heir. It was the only thing that could make her father smile that way, if he ever smiled at all. Naya had never seen it before, not even once so she couldn’t be sure.

What she only knew was that her father, Beta Alfredo, had been training her and the rest of her age group warriors for that one opportunity: to slay the royal heir of the Crimson Stone Pack, their enemy pack.

For hundreds of years, Light Shadow Pack had always stood alone amidst the chaos among the packs in the world. They always tried to avoid any kind of conflict. It wasn’t difficult since their territory was literally one massive lake away from the other packs. But everything changed when the Blue Moon came.

Crimson Stone Pack invaded Light Shadow Pack territory and killed many members. During an ambush, their queen, Luna, died. As a result, the Alpha became ill, almost lost his wolf and was unable to shift, leading to more massive deaths and the downfall of a prosperous land. Fortunately, he still had his children who took care of him and fought to restore and develop what was left of the pack.

Naya was still six years old at that time, but she learned from her father and his tales that their enemy came from that one pack – Crimson Stone Pack.

“They killed our Luna and our pack members,” Beta Alfredo said and looked away, pain and wrath flashing through his eyes as he clenched his teeth, his hands trembling slightly. “Including your mother and your sister…”

Naya stood up and looked at her father in pain.

A hard, deep sigh escaped his lips. Then he walked towards Naya and held both of her shoulders. “You’re now twenty-one. After some more years, you will enter the official warriors of our pack. Your life will be offered to protect Alpha and his children, just like me. But before that, you must do this one thing.”

Beta Alfredo stared right into Naya’s eyes. “You will lead the mission, Naya. You will not fail your father, your mother, and your sister, our entire pack. Remember, death is the only way to bring peace back in our pack.”

Naya stood still, meeting her father’s gaze directly, her eyes devoid of fear. “Yes, Father.”

Beta Alfredo stared at her for a long time and nodded.

Naya’s heart pounded fast. She had to do this mission quickly. She didn’t want to leave the pack for too long. Most importantly, she wanted to make her father proud. And he would only be proud if she did and completed this mission.

“The time for your mission is fast approaching,” Beta Alfredo said, “You mustn’t call me father from now on. Nobody should know that you’re from the pack either. From now on, if you meet someone outside the pack and even if someone did learn your name, you must introduce yourself as a rogue.”

Naya lowered her head, the words of her father deeply ingrained in her head and heart. “I understand.”

Alfredo smiled. “Good.”

His smile turned cold as he let Naya go.

With her head still down, Naya clenched her hands, her head filled with all the teachings and words from her father. She would never fail in this mission; she had to secure the royal heir’s head and bring it herself to her father. She had to see his reaction once it happened.

The next time she looked up, Naya was already walking outside the borders of the pack. Three years had gone by and she was leading the six warriors she trained who would all join her in the mission.

She jumped on the boat with the rest, the lake’s transparent water hit by the warm, afternoon sunlight welcoming them. The cold air hit Naya’s face but her expression never wavered as she looked ahead, her eyes full of nothing but stone-hard coldness.

She was raised and trained to fight for this one mission, one purpose – to kill the royal heir of the Crimson Stone Pack, and crush their hopes and dreams as they once did to Naya’s pack.

Even if it cost her life, Naya would never stop until she fulfilled her mission.