Chapter 2

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Evelyn was waiting nervously with everyone else in the assembly room of the Pack house, the pack Luna had asked everyone to assemble and that alpha had an important announcement to make. The pack had now assembled and were waiting for the alpha to appear.

Evelyn shifted on her legs nervously and looked around, there was a buzz in the assembled crowd with all kinds of wild speculations of what the alpha would be announcing, expectations were high.

It was rumored that the alpha was in negotiations from a pack that would help them out. Help they desperately needed.

She did not pay any attention to the conversations happening around her, she had confidence in her alpha, he was a kind and fair man. He had given her and her mother sanctuary in tough times especially after her father died they had moved to this pack for a fresh start.

He had given then sanctuary, accepted them in to his pack and since then he had been nothing but an fair and compassionate leader. Her sentiments were not her's alone, his pack loved him dearly. He was held in the highest esteem.

She involuntary sighed recalling tougher times... recalling her dead father. He never was a great dad but never the less he was her father.

They had been kicked out of their original pack when she was small, it was because of something her dad did. Not sure what it was and he always maintained that the alpha was at fault but knowing her father she knew without doubt it was him and not the alpha as he claimed.

Without pack they kept moving around, other packs let had let them in, as a small family of rogues was not a threat to them. However the frequency of them getting kicked out of packs after packs did not surprise her.

Eventually one fine day, the beta of the pack they were residing with came to their house and informed that their father had been killed in a road accident, he was drunk and driving his car, had gone off the road, and had smashed in to a tree killing him on the spot.

The alpha had offered them sanctuary in his pack but Evelyn and her mother wanted a new start so they ended up in Colorado and in Nicks pack, with a fresh start. The pack was kind to them, helped them get on their feet, her mother had eventually taken a loan from the alpha and partnered with Jeff the Beta of the pack and started a diner in the town.

Over time her mother and the beta fell in love and now all of them were living together. She looked next to her Jeff with his arms on his mother, she was finally happy finally happy and Jeff had been the father figure she always wanted. They were not mates of course but neither were her mom and dad.

Mates had become extremely rare and wolves would go without a mate for all their life, so they fell in love and made a family like humans. There were very few mated pairs, most of them were revered and cherished by the packs and were protected and nurtured, as a mated pair produced an very strong werewolf offspring who would mostly become an alpha of the pack.

The title of alpha was not heredity it had to be fought upon and anyone in the pack could contest for the title, usually the alpha's children due to their strong bloodlines would become an alpha but they still had to fight to win.

Evelyn looked at her mother and Jeff again, looking at the worry in their eyes. She had thought that they finally has some happiness in life and then the rogues struck, they had changed everything, destroyed their life's and community and they were hell bent on annihilation of the pack. This announcement was even worrisome for them because Jeff was usually on Nick's side but Nick had alienated Jeff from this.

Jeff remembered what Nick had told him.

"I am going to do something many might not like, but what I think is right. I want this to be my decision alone and any repercussions have to be on me alone and for that reason, I will not involve you in this. I hope you understand and don't think this as me not having confidence in you as your alpha and not confiding in you as I doubt our friendship"

Silence fell in the room as alpha Nick appeared followed by his Luna flanking him, he glanced around the pack gathered in the great hall, the hall which was once the pride of the pack where they used to have lavish events to show off their pack's prosperity. This hall which showed off their wealth at one point of time now showed their despair.

The hall like everything else in the pack had fallen to harsh times, he glanced around the room. At the height of his pack this room was fully packed people standing on each other's toes to fill the hall but today its was half empty, three months of rogue attacks did this.

He felt a deep sorrow for the loss and a burning anger to avenge them, the anger gave him courage and reinforced that he made the right decision.

"Attention everyone" he called out, killing the remaining buzz so everyone focused their attention solely on him.

"I know you have been wondering, what this is about" He started.

"As you know, our very existence is being threatened by the rogues. Today there is no pack in Colorado that is safe and that can come to our rescue, the packs that were our neighbors have been destroyed and taken over by rogues. Fifty miles from any direction outside our pack borders is rogue territory and they will not leave us alone until they take our land too" he paused taking in the somber mood of his pack.

"I have considered all options, including leaving our lands that we held for generations and moving out of Colorado" The gasps from the pack grew and a buzz started.

"However" Nick interjected "I strongly believe if we try to move we will be hunted and killed as we need to pass through the rogue territory. But on our lands we are relatively safe as the powers of our ancestors resting in our soil weakens any wolf that tries to attack us. That as it may be, will not stop the rogues nor will it help save ourselves. We are not strong as we were before, we lost many of our brothers and sisters and there are just too many rogues" Nick voice wavered thinking of everyone he lost, he felt responsible for every single death.

"I have begged the council of seven to help us out, they refused, they believe it is a local problem and that we need to sort it out. They have informed us that at this time they do not have the resources to help us and asked us to wait until they can provide reinforcements. They have advised us to seek truce with the rogues to buy time."

This news was received as a thunderbolt. Despair grew in the ranks, if the council would not help they were truly lost, truce was not an option. The rogues only wanted total submission and assimilation in to their numbers or they would destroy them, even if they submit they would always kill off the alpha and the beta and any other who held any form of power in the pack, to ensure total submission.

They would not abandon their alpha they were loyal to their death and apparently that was the only option left "We will not abandon you alpha" someone shouted and was repeated by all present.

The alpha put up his hand "I thank you for your loyalty, my friends...my family" he was clearly touched.

"However, I will not sacrifice this pack, let us not be vain. If we are to survive we need help. I have deliberated this greatly and I have asked for help."

Who would help us? Wondered the pack and were now focused on their Alpha with expectations of hope

"I have asked help from the Royals and they have agreed"

The buzz immediately picked up in the ranks of the assembly room

"The Royals!"

"But..."

"Can they?"

"Why would they?"

"What would they want?"

Nick cleared his throat and cut the nervous energy across the room.

"You know what it means" he paused and looked around his pack to ensure that all eyes were on him and started answering those unasked questions "As of today, I have pledged our allegiance to the royal house of Roma, the European royal pack. We are no longer affiliated to the high council of United States" he paused for the realization to sink in.

"The Royals have agreed to help us, they are sending in their best warriors, around one hundred of them to aid us and they should be here in the next two days"

Two days? Hundred warriors? So quick?

The swiftness of their action and the number of warriors surprised the pack as it surprised their alpha earlier as well when the royal house emissary had called him.

"The emissary has promised me that their wolves will lay down their life before one more wolf from our pack comes to harm. I am thankful for their promise. We need to hold fort for the next two days. I know some of you might be uncomfortable with this shift of loyalties but I have taken this decision keeping the best interest of the pack in mind. However if your conscience cannot accept my choice you are free to leave the pack once we eliminate the threat without prejudice"

"We are with you Alpha" The pack chorused.

"Thank you" Nick responded "That will be all" and with that he dismissed the pack

***

Evelyn was in the kitchen helping the woman create dinner, werewolves are voracious eaters and the pack generally ate dinner together in the pack house, this practice had started since the war with the rogues had started to conserve their resources. Normally dinner at pack house happened at festivals and holidays or a celebration.

As a result of this, making dinner was a task in itself and preparations always started hours in advance, so the girls of the pack along with the woman were busy in the kitchen, the woman preparing and the girls helping.

The aftermath of the alphas announcement was still lingering the usual gossip was at minimum everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts.

"I am glad that the royals are helping us" Lucia broke the silence, she was a young wolf just mated and turned "I heard that they have some of the best fighters in the world"

Everyone knew who the royals were, they were the equivalent of British monarchy to the werewolf world, at the height of their power they had controlled almost all of the world werewolf packs. But over the centuries a lot of infighting and poor monarchs on the throne dwindled their power, packs rebelled, formed their own councils much like the council of seven in the United States.

However, King Maxim Roma had changed that, under his rule he had united all the European and Asian packs under his command except for Russian packs. Eurasia was firmly under his command. He had stepped in to the African packs and stopped the internal wars, the wolves in Africa were more prosperous then the humans there, all of the North African wolves paid them tribute and vowed their allegiance.

The truly remaining continent untouched was North America where the council of seven had a huge influence and they had managed to have the Canadians and Mexicans on their side.

Maxim had tried to change that, he did make some inroads. The Canadians were in discussion with him but then Maxim was assassinated a year ago, rogues were blamed and put to death in great number, the assassination of one of the most powerful leaders of the Were world sent shock waves across the world.

Maxim's Son Maxwell took the throne but would take time for him to create the clout and respect his father had, he was busy touring the world reinforcing existing alliances and had kept away from North America till now. But this was a good opportunity for them to let go, they received an invitation from an Alpha and they would fully utilize it to gain inroads, that was why help was eagerly offered.

There was little known about Maxwell, about the kind of man he was and the kind of leader he was, he would be sorely tested and he was just twenty one when he took his father's place and was un-mated. The Law of the old, which the Royal's followed did not allow an un-mated wolf on the throne, so he was not the king yet but a Prince and technically, his mother the Queen was the ruling monarch. It was also rumored that Prince Maxwell was searching for his mate before he actually gives up and marries someone human style to ascend the throne.

However powerful Roma was, they would never reach their former glory, as now the world wolf council was the most powerful body and the world order of wolves was maintained by them. The council was represented by one member from each continent and had six members in total because Antarctica had no werewolves and though Asia and Europe only had one representative from the house of Roma. Russia had its own representative as they were too powerful to ignore. The members in turn elected a chancellor every ten years. And right now the chancellor was from the USA the head of council of seven and opposed Monarchy in all forms.

"Will the prince be coming?" asked one more girl

"No honey, I am sure he is busy, and he is sending his men to fight, I don't think he would be anywhere near a fight" one of the elders answered.

Prince Maxwell was one of the most protected men on the planet, especially after his father's assassination. His death would plunge Eurasia in to utter chaos and create a power vacuum. "I heard he as fifty men just protecting him" Whispered one more girl "They call them the Royal Guard"

The elder woman just smiled and let the girls gossip while helping out

"Did you know, it is rumored that, he is desperately searching for his mate? That is why it is said he is travelling so much" The girl next to Evelyn whispered.

Evelyn just nodded while cutting the lettuce for the salad.

"I really hope they kill all the rogues, I miss my old life and I miss school" The girl said sadly

"Ria" one of the woman called the girl next to Evelyn "Get me some meat from the freezer dear" and the girl scampered away.

Evelyn missed her old life too...because of the rogues the pack was in lock down, they rarely ventured out in to the town any more and if they did, they went in large groups, the children and the un-mated woman were the most vulnerable were not allowed to leave the compound.

Since she was an un-mated eighteen year old female she was forbidden to leave the pack compound. She missed the diner, she missed working there, she used to help her mom out as a waitress and earn some money for herself.

The human employees were holding the fort, this was similar for all of the wolves who had business in town their human partners/employees were holding fort and for the wolves who had jobs they were on sabbatical, however half of them expect to lose their jobs, in other words the pack was going to take a huge hit financially as well.

Evelyn hoped the royals would make good on their promise help get rid of the rogues, she couldn't wait to finish school and then go away to college. She wanted to become a doctor but unlike others who ended up becoming pack doctors, she wanted to be human one.

She had seen enough pack violence to last a lifetime. Her mother frowned at this view but she was determined, her pack meant a lot to her but this was something she wanted to do on her own. She was tired of this pack life, the constant threat, uncertainty and violence in her life.

She was determined to go to medical school and move to a city where you would not encounter werewolf's as they avoided cities like plague. She would probably move to New York, she had never been there but a large city to get lost would be perfect, no rogues. She would then peruse her dream of becoming a doctor.

However she feared a few roadblocks. One, she could turn which meant her wolf would come out and then she knew for sure her wolf would fight to be with her pack and bond with them. Werewolf's stayed in a pack for a reason. They were extremely social animals, a lone wolf would go mad if not properly controlled and would turn rogue. But since she had not turned so far , the only way she would turn is if she found a mate and that was her second roadblock.

Once she found a mate she would lose all her independence, she would be bound to him forever and like all male wolves he would want her barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. May be she was stereotyping all mates but, there was an immense pressure on mates to reproduce and reproduce fruitfully, as their children were strongest and their wolf's were a force to reckon with .

Even though finding mates has become difficult it was certainly a possibility, but finding a mate was a low possibility for her. She has been in the pack for a while and if her mate was around he would have found her by now, that was a relief. They had two mated pair in this pack, she knew Greta. She had six kids.

Six!

Brood mare much? She wondered. Lucia was also just mated and she was sure there would be pups before the end of year.

Pups, she blanched at that thought. May be some day, far...far away... in the future.Mates were often romanticized, it was every she wolf's dream, not her's. No sir. She was not going to end up being a broodmare no matter what lovey dovey tales they weaved around mates and stuff.

She had in fact taken up courage and discussed it with the Alpha before all this madness started. He had listened to her with disappointment in his eyes but however he had asked her to come back and speak to him once she completed high school and still felt the same way.

Well she did, not that she had finished her high school, thanks to the rogues she had to drop out. But she was almost done and with her current scores she would be allowed to take finals ever though she missed a couple of months of school. She wanted out and no one was going to stop her.

Or so she thought.