I I had always known that one day I would become the alpha of the strongest pack in the mountains.
My pack lived deep within the wild mountains of a vast empire. To them, we were the enemy. The king hated us with a burning passion and saw us as nothing more than monsters.
He wanted every last one of us wiped from the earth. But our pack was strong. The mountains were our refuge and our hunting ground, their cliffs and forests hiding us from the king's armies.
One day, when the king's soldiers attacked our tribe once again, my father pulled me aside and finally revealed the truth. The king hated us because the empire rightfully belonged to our family. He was an impostor. A liar who had stolen our lands and claimed our throne as his own.
I knew how deeply my father despised that man. He swore to me that one day what had been taken from us would be ours again—that the empire would once more belong to the Wild Wolf tribe.
Humans had never understood their place in this world. They were always hungry for more, always burning with the desire to take what was not theirs. They were our mortal enemies. I hated humans more than I hated wild bears—and we fought bears for food all the time, so that meant something.
I wanted to become strong, strong enough to fight for my family, for my pack. I wanted my father to trust me. I will bring our pack back to the glory. We will not remain exiled forever. Not on my watch.
The humans were not as stong as us physically but they outnumbered us. They had better technology. And they never fought face to face. Always hiding, always setting traps to get the weakest of our members.
So I trained. I never stopped getting stronger. I imposed new laws to out tribe. I wanted to excell every martial art. I also put so much effort to improve our arms, and it was difficult because we were hunters first, instinctively we fought with our claws and teeth but I knew that humans could not be defeated with brut force alone. We needed to be smarter.
Our pack was hiding to pass the harsh winter. Winter was deadly to us. It was difficult to find food and shelter. We coudn't remain in the same place for too long neither the king's army was always one step behind us. We had to move, be ready, always on alert. In my 26 years of life I never slept more than 4 hours. I guarded our tribe even when I was weak or sick. I took my responsibilities very seriously.
My father was getting old and I knew that soon enough I would be the alpha leader and every single person of the tribe will depend upon me.
My name is Valeska. I was born to rule. My enemies called the me « Kilner » I destroyed armys on my own with my bare teeth. I was thirsty for revenge. I drank the blood of my enemies and terrified them. The terror of my presence alone was enough for the soldiers to surrender. I had no mercy for filthy humans, who stole our lands, who cornered us into hiding like dogs. I killed anyone on my sight on battlefield. I ripped their throats apart. I bite of their skulls and spit out their bodies under my feet. I crushed their bones with my claws.
I was gathering my own army. All my soldiers were alpha, they were the strongest fighters of our tribe. I had one goal to bring back our glory and get our empire back from colonizers.
Humans were no innocent. They killed the members of our tribe all the time. They hunt us like we were dangerous animals. They burned our livestock in order to starve us. We suffered so much on their hands that what didn't kill us just made us stronger.
I had a plan, I was done with hiding. As soon as the winter passes I will start my journey to take back piece by piece everything that belonged to us in the first place. I was going to conquer the human's cities and most importantly the Throne of the empire.
No one can stop me as I will show no mercy for the thieves.
One night, the winter was so harsh that we had to eat rats to survive. The shame was burning me alive. As an alpha I had so much pride it was destroying me.
I brought the rest of a soup made with water and wild herbs to the watchers. Kids barely older than teenagers had the duty of standing watch while our hunters were out hunting.
I went to see my father. He was lying on some straw, he was sick. I knew he had not much time.
« You will see father, I will do it. I will take our revenge! »
My father tried the put himself together. He coughed a few times. I knew he hated to be weak but there was nothing that he could do. We had no medecine left, we were barely feeding anyone.
« I trust you Valeska. Bring glory to your name. You will not die like me. On a dirty floor, weak and starving. You will rule the empire. You will punish our enemies and bring our people justice. »
I hold my father's hand. He was shaking. I wanted to reassure him. I respected him so much, I wanted to know him that I always looked up to him.
But I coudn't say one single word to him. We heard a loud noise coming from outside. I run to the spot where the noise were coming.
Terror run down my spine. All the alphas of our tribe were at the mountains, hunting for food. We needed so much food that we had no other choice but send every single one of hunters. I was the one with the responsibility to protect and guard our tribe.
It was the humans. They were slicing through our watchmen. I saw my people fall one by one. The humans were carrying silver swords. The only metal who could kill us.
I immediately put my claws out and charged at them. As soon as they saw me they started to gather together and blcok my attacks. Cowards all of them. I was fighting with a dozen soldier on my own. When I killed every single one of them and went back to the tribe I couldn't believe my eyes. The soldiers were only diverting me. Their army was here, savagely killing old and innocent people. People who were at the blink of starvation.
I ran toward my father's tent, I found him with a silver sword on his cest. He was bleeding. His eyes were open, but they were not looking. They were cold. My father's eyes were dead.
I felt my knees shaking.
« No! » I said « No! No! »
I ran to my mother.
I was begging the old trees to protect her. To not let her die by the bloody hand of our enemies.
My mother's body was hanging from a tree.
She was lifeless, swinging like a shaking leaf.
I coudn't breathe.