"Today’s lesson focuses on one of the most pivotal moments in our history, the Great War that reshaped our world two centuries ago. A story I’m sure it’s familiar with if not all of you. However, today, we’d be revisiting our roots" said Professor Alwen, an older looking man with silver streaks in his hair.
The mention of the Great War immediately silenced any remaining murmurs from the class. The subject of the Great War had always been a sensitive yet intriguing topic for the younger generation who were currently suffering the aftermath of the decisions made by their ancestors. However, there were so many versions of this story it was impossible to tell which one to believe, hence Violet for one was excited for the chance to hear it from an authoritative source.
Alwen began, "After the discovery of the supernatural, precisely the were-kind, humans and werewolves began to live in an uneasy coexistence. While there were prejudices, outright conflict was rare. However, fear and ignorance always have a way of festering into hatred. And now, this brings us to the catalyst of it all, the story of Elena and Kael."
Alwen swiped the screen of the electronic board, bringing it to life. An image of a stunning human woman alongside a striking werewolf appeared. The title beneath them read: Elena and Kael: The Tragic Bond.
Alwen explained. "In a time when tensions between humans and werewolves were on the rise, Elena, a human noble, unknowingly became the mate of Kael, a powerful werewolf alpha. Kael courted her in secret, showing her kindness, protecting her from harm, and even sneaking into human territory to be close to her. Over time, Elena fell in love with him, even though she didn’t fully understand the depth of the mate bond. As you already all know, the mate bond is a sacred connection, unbreakable and all-consuming. But not all stories of love end in happiness... "
Violet’s pen hovered over her notebook as the man continued, his words captivating her.
"However," Alwen went on, his tone darkening, "Elena’s father, Lord Desmond, was unaware of their bond. To secure power and wealth, he arranged for her to marry William, the son of Minister Gerard, a man infamous for his hatred of werewolves, having been an advocate for their expulsion from human territories for years."
The screen shifted to show Minister Gerard, a stern-faced man with cold eyes.
"Despite Elena’s protests, she was married off to William as her father saw only political and economic gain. Neither did the humans believe nor understand how the mate bond works. Kael, unable to intervene due to the marriage being protected by the human military, is forced to watch his mate wed another man. It was a torment beyond words for him, as the mate bond means that Elena is meant to be his and his alone.
"A few weeks after the wedding, Kael, driven mad by the mate bond, could not stay away from Elena anymore. That fateful night, he found her in her new home, her heart as broken as his and they found comfort in each other... "
Violet didn’t need to guess what finding comfort in each other meant, it was clear as day.
"But their romantic reunion ended in tragedy when William returned home early, discovering his wife in the arms of another man, not to mention, a werewolf.
It was an insult to someone like him who has been raised to loath the creatures. Enraged, William tried to fight Kael, but a werewolf’s strength is far beyond that of a human. In the ensuing confrontation, Kael lost control and killed William."
A murmur rippled through the classroom right as the screen changed showing a fallen bloody Williams and professor Alwen continued.
"Kael fled the scene, leaving Elena devastated and horrified. She loved Kael, but she never wanted the death of her husband, who, despite their circumstances, had treated her kindly. When Gerard learns that his only son was killed by a werewolf, he is consumed by a thirst for revenge. To Gerard, this wasn’t just about his son; it was a sign of werewolves overstepping their boundaries and challenging the humans."
"The death of William," Alwen said, "gave Minister Gerard the perfect excuse to act on his hatred. Using his son’s death as a rallying cry, he declared war on werewolves, painting them as savage beasts incapable of coexistence. He played on people’s fears and prejudices, turning public sentiment further against werewolves. Most of all, he ordered a manhunt on the werewolf who killed his son "
The screen showed scenes of propaganda posters and armed human soldiers and hunters.
"The werewolves, led by Kael’s father, Alpha Magnus, retaliated. He could not allow his son to be captured, especially not by humans who have long treated werewolves with suspicion and hatred. The werewolves are protective of their own, and to them, Kael was only following his natural instincts to protect and claim his mate. Hence, what began as a personal vendetta spiraled into a full-blown war."
"Elena, meanwhile, is caught in the middle of the escalating conflict. She is consumed by guilt and grief; she feels responsible for William’s death, and she is torn between her love for Kael and the hatred her people now have for his kind.
The humans saw her as a victim of werewolf savagery, while werewolves saw her as the mate who was stolen from them. In her own little understanding, she believed the chaos would calm once she’s gone. So she takes her own life. But it was quite unfortunate that the seed of hatred had already been sown in the minds of humans and werewolves alike, and like a poison, it spread wide.... "
The screen changed to show a lone picture of the beautiful human Elena, the sad yet warm smile on her face made Violet’s heart ache.
"The final breaking point came when Gerard ordered his soldiers to attack werewolves’ sacred grounds, places where they honored their ancestors and conducted important rituals. The attacks were brutal as several packs recorded the death of many innocent werewolves, including elders and children who were present at the time.
The werewolves, furious at the desecration of their sacred place, fully committed to the war. The packs united under a single banner, led by Alpha Magnus, with Kael by his side, and they launched a large-scale attack against the humans. And so the war of the two realms began, driven by grief, vengeance, and the inability to understand one another. "