Trouble Trouble Trouble

It’s been a year since her encounter with the rogue alpha that was supposed to be her mate, luckily for Valerie she hadn’t killed him but she’d somehow marred the relationship between Aletha and the moon-glow pack.

“Mother.” Valerie called as she entered the chamber after getting back from hunting with Adira.

“Valerie.” Clarissa called back. “You’re back.” She added with a smile.

“Yes, indeed I am.” She answered with a smile as she walked over to take her seat beside her mum. Adira walked in breathless. Clarissa raised an eyebrow.

“I came in before you.” Valerie said with a proud laugh.

“Yes, I can see that.” Adira answered, trying to catch her breath. “Now I know better than to agree to any form of competition with you.” She breathed hard. “Suprema.” She called.

“Hi Adira.” Clarissa called out amidst laughs. “She made you this breathless?” She asked and Adira nodded.

“Go take a rest, I need to speak with Valerie.” Clarissa ordered and Adira left the two of them alone. “Val.” She called.

“Yes mother.” Valerie answered with an inquisitive look.

“Look, I’ve been trying to tell you this for so long but the passion you have for hunting and fighting and your valor just won’t let me...” She started. “You shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be going hunting or fighting and all, that’s for the hunters and warriors, that is why we have the likes of Adira to lead the battlefield, you’re royalty, going out to fight and hunt is like a taint to you, don’t you think?” Clarissa finished with a question, she knew her daughter won’t listen to her as Valerie was a lady of her own action, once she’s set on doing something, she would do it and no one could change her mind, but Clarissa being her mother thought she could at least try.

Supremas don’t go hunting, they leave that to the hunters but Valerie since she was young has always loved hunting and fighting and getting her training from Adira and her powers made her even more fierce, Clarissa starts to regret agreeing to let Valerie train since she was ten.

“I do not think so mother.” Valerie answered after a while of processing what her mother had said, asking her to just stay at home and not going to hunt or to fight for the pack is like asking her to stop doing the things she loved the most and importantly asking her to stop her service to Aletha wolf pack.

“Aletha pack is partly my responsibility and they need someone to protect them, they need someone they can trust and that is where I come in.” She said.

“Val. I know about your service to Aletha and I know how well the goddess has blessed you. I’m just saying you’re still too young for all this, goddess forbid, what if something happens to you?” Clarissa said, stating her concern.

“The goddess has blessed me and so she will protect me from all evil. Also, I’m not too young, the hunters start hunting since they are sixteen, I’ll be eighteen soon, that is not too young.” She stated.

“But....” Clarissa started saying.

“There are no buts, I will do as I please as long as it pleases the goddess and favors the pack.” Valerie said switching to her dominant self even to her mother as she stood up. “We shall no longer have this conversation, I am set on protecting the pack, don’t stop me.” She added.

“And you are forgetting I am your mother and your Queen too.” Clarissa said in her own powerful voice too as she stood up to meet Valerie. “You will do as I say and I forbid you from going to wars or hunts. I forbid you from being in the hearing of the elders, a princess you are and as a princess you must act!” Clarissa said.

“You can’t do that!” Valerie almost screamed.

“I can, I will and I have.” Clarissa said. “Leave.” She ordered.

But mother....” Valerie was about to protest when she caught her mother’s eye, Clarissa was angry and Valerie knew better than to further push her, she slightly bent her head as she left her mother to go to her own room.

Sad about how she’d just treated her daughter and forbade her from doing things she loves, Clarissa sank into her chair with a sigh. It wasn’t yet time for the show of power Valerie is exhibiting, she still needs time to learn her powers properly and with her eighteenth birthday coming up she still has more powers to absorb.

“Suprema?” Adira called with concern, jolting Clarissa out of her thought. “What’s the matter?” She added.

“I was just thinking, did I do the right thing? I just forbade Valerie from hunting and being in the gathering of the elders and now I feel bad.” Clarissa explained.

“You can’t be in charge of her for too long, you know Valerie well to know she can’t be stopped from doing these things, she can only respect you as her mother and the queen but I doubt you would be able to curb her for so long.” Adira said.

“I know, she’s still too young. She has the power of a 200 years old wolf and the intelligence of an even older one. She needs proper guidance, she can’t continue this way or she would be too proud and that might as well make the goddess displeased and make Valerie fall, I’m just concerned.” Clarissa sighed.

“Understood and justifiable but guidance is what she needs not forbidding.” Adira said.

Valerie was listening in on the conversation as she finally understood why her mother was so protective of her, her mother was concerned about her and meant well for her, Valerie sighed as she made her way to her room, bumping into one of the servants and metals fell clattering on the ground.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized bending to help the servant up.

“It’s fine princess, I should’ve been more careful and watch where I was going, I’m sorry.” The servant said, getting her stuff from Valerie.

“It’s fine.” Valerie smiled. “What’s going on and what are all this for?” She asked, confused.

“You’re forgetting it’s your birthday soon? We’re merely preparing.” The servant answered with excitement. “I must go now princess.” She added as she went her way.

Valerie got to her room and sunk in her bed, she has to obey her mother, not only is she her mother but the queen too and whatever the queen says should be obeyed, closing her eyes to fall asleep, Valerie felt uneasy as she tossed and turned about. Finally getting up she walked to her window to see what was happening. She caught sight of the armies lining up and following the lead of Adira, she tried to ignore them but her curiosity and bravery took the best of her, she defied the queen as she made her way to the armies meeting.

“So we would have to wait here and...” Adira was saying when the door creaked, surprised she walked over to Valerie.

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

“Shh. I just, I couldn’t, what’s going on?” Valerie asked in curiosity.

“We’re making plans, we go to battle tonight and we need to be prepared.” Adira answered.

“Well then, continue.” She ordered and Adira looked at her as if to tell her again that she wasn’t supposed to be here, Valerie dismissed her and Adira left her in the meeting as she went over her plans again. Not comfortable with the strategy, Valerie brought hers up and most of the armies agreed with it, Adira ordered that they followed the plan Valerie had came up with.

The Aletha armies got ready for war and as bloody as it was, they’d lost all hope until Valerie re-strategized and they won, another victory for the Aletha pack and it was all thanks to their princess, they sung her praises as they made their way to the pack and was met by an angry Suprema.

“You defied me.” Clarissa said, her eyes turning red as anger filled her up.

“I’m sorry mother.” Valerie apologized. “But, we won, Ma.” She added with a smile, hoping to calm her mother down.

“I don’t care, you disobeyed me, you disobeyed your Queen!” Clarissa yelled. “Arrest her, she should be thrown in the dungeon.” She ordered.

Other wolves that had sworn to protect Valerie was ready for another war as they charged towards the guards that held Valerie.

“Stop. It’s fine.” Valerie ordered and they stopped. “No one should disobey the queen, I did and I must be punished.” She added as she proceeded to follow the guards.

“Stop.” Adira called. “It’s my fault, Suprema. I went to her for help and she disagreed but I persuaded her.” Adira lied.

“Adira!” Clarissa called in anger, breathing heavily.

“I’m sorry my queen and I accept whatever punishment given to me, but, we won the battle because of her, we owe this victory to her, Suprema.” Adira said and Clarissa calmed.

Turning to leave, Clarissa ordered that Valerie be left alone.

“What are you doing?” Valerie rushed over to Adira as she asked.

“You’re welcome.” Adira said and Valerie smiled as she said her thanks.

The next day is her birthday and she was excited but also sad, she felt trouble looming but she had no idea what it was or where it would come from, stressed as she thought about it, Valerie fell asleep.

“What is going on?” Valerie asked, confused.

“The wolf hunters, they found the pack.”