Chapter 13: The First Conquest
The journey began at sunrise.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Lira walked at the front, her steps steady, her presence commanding without effort. Behind her followed a small group—rogues who had chosen her, not out of fear…
But belief.
Beside her, Ronan scanned the horizon.
"You know this won't be like before," he said. "An Alpha's territory is different. Structured. Guarded."
Lira didn't slow down.
"Good," she replied.
Ronan smirked faintly.
"You really don't like easy things, do you?"
"No," she said calmly.
"I like necessary things."
Hours passed as they moved through rough terrain forests, narrow paths, and rising hills until finally…
They reached it.
A massive boundary.
Tall wooden barriers reinforced with iron.
Guards stationed at every visible point.
The mark of a powerful pack.
Ronan stopped walking.
"This is it," he said.
Lira's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the territory.
"Their scent is strong," she murmured.
"Disciplined."
Ronan nodded.
"This pack answers to one Alpha. And from what I've heard…"
His tone darkened slightly.
"He's not the merciful type."
Lira stepped forward.
"Even better."
Before anyone could stop her
She crossed the boundary.
Instantly
A loud horn echoed through the air.
Alert.
Warning.
Intruder.
The guards reacted immediately.
"Stop right there!" one of them shouted, stepping forward.
More wolves appeared.
Weapons drawn.
Eyes sharp.
Suspicious.
"State your name and purpose!" another demanded.
Behind her, the rogues tensed, ready for anything.
But Lira
She simply stood there.
Calm.
Unmoved.
"I'm not here to ask for permission," she said.
Her voice carried across the area with unnatural clarity.
"I'm here to speak with your Alpha."
The guards exchanged glances.
One of them scoffed.
"And who do you think you are?"
That question lingered.
Hung in the air.
Then
Lira stepped forward again.
And released just a small pulse of her power.
Not enough to harm.
But enough to be felt.
Immediately
The guards froze.
Their expressions shifting from irritation…
To shock.
"What… is that?" one whispered.
Lira's silver eyes glowed faintly.
"Someone your Alpha should not ignore."
A heavy silence followed.
Then
A new voice cut through the tension.
"Let her pass."
All heads turned.
From the inner gate, a tall figure emerged.
Confident.
Authoritative.
Dangerous.
Alpha Varik.
His sharp gaze locked onto Lira instantly.
Curious.
Calculating.
Interested.
Ronan leaned slightly closer to Lira.
"That's him," he muttered.
Lira didn't respond.
She was already watching him.
Varik stepped forward slowly, his presence commanding the entire area.
"Stand down," he ordered his guards.
They obeyed immediately.
But their eyes never left Lira.
Varik stopped a few steps away from her.
"So…" he said, his voice calm but heavy with authority.
"You're the one causing disturbances across territories."
Lira held his gaze.
"I don't cause disturbances."
A faint pause.
"I create change."
A flicker of amusement crossed his face.
"Bold," he said.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"Or foolish."
Lira didn't react.
"I didn't come here to exchange words," she said.
"I came for answers."
Varik raised a brow.
"And what makes you think I have any to give?"
Lira took one step closer.
The wind stirred slightly around her.
"You were there," she said quietly.
Varik's expression didn't change but something in his eyes shifted.
Just slightly.
Enough.
"Careful," he said. "You're stepping into dangerous assumptions."
Lira's gaze sharpened.
"I'm not assuming."
A brief silence.
Then
"You were part of the past I'm remembering."
The air thickened.
Ronan watched closely.
The guards tensed again.
And Varik
Smiled.
But this time
It wasn't friendly.
"You've started remembering sooner than expected," he said.
That confirmed it.
Everything.
Lira's eyes glowed brighter.
"Then you know why I'm here."
Varik exhaled slowly, as if amused.
"Yes," he said.
"I do."
His posture shifted slightly.
More serious now.
More alert.
"But you walked into my territory…"
His voice lowered.
"…thinking you're in control."
The ground beneath them seemed to tighten.
Power rising.
Clashing.
"You're not," he finished.
Lira tilted her head slightly.
"Then prove it."
Silence.
Tension.
Then
Varik's aura exploded outward.
Strong.
Dominant.
Alpha power at its peak.
The guards immediately stepped back.
The rogues behind Lira struggled to stand.
Ronan gritted his teeth.
But Lira
Remained still.
Unaffected.
Unmoved.
Varik's eyes narrowed.
"You really are different…" he said.
Lira stepped forward again.
"And you're exactly what I expected."
Her voice dropped.
Cold.
"You're going to tell me everything."
The wind rose around her.
Not wild.
Not uncontrolled.
But precise.
Focused.
"And if I refuse?" Varik asked.
Lira's lips curved slightly.
"Then I take it."
The air between them crackled.
Power pressing against power.
Neither backing down.
Neither yielding.
And in that moment
Everyone watching realized something.
This wasn't just a visit.
This wasn't just a confrontation.
This
Was the beginning of her first conquest.