Chapter 3: An Encounter at Dusk

The next morning, Tobias wrote back to Alpha Rivers, enquiring further into his offer. It was only a day before we received his response, ordering us to meet him at the waterfall, where the river flowed that separated our territory from his.

"Why does he want to meet us?" Rose asked as she stood at the stove, pouring the hot water from the kettle into the teapot, which held a dismal number of leaves for three people, "Can he not send us the grain and be done with it?"

"Apparently not..." Tobias replied from the kitchen table, "He wants to meet us, me specifically, to decide if he will help us."

I rolled my eyes, "What a power freak," I muttered. "He wants to look down on us, desperate and hungry, knowing that the power to control our fate is in his hands. What a bloody-"

"Esme," Tobias interrupted, snapping his gaze up to me, "I know. And it boils my blood too. But to get his grain, we need to do exactly what he wants. So if he wants us to beg, we will beg."

I scoffed, "I'm not coming."

"You are," Tobias replied, "You, Rose and I run this pack. We all need to be there."

I folded my arms over my chest, "He only asked for you. You'll manage without me."

"And that's not how this pack works," Rose said, "We come as a three. We're in this together remember?"

I pouted and said nothing.

"Esme," Tobias said sternly, "I need you. I need your judgement and opinion and if nothing else your skill with that bow. We're going to meet Alpha bloody Rivers with the pack weaker than its ever been. Anything could happen."

I threw my head back and groaned.

"Fine," I grumbled, "But don't expect to see me kneeling for anyone."

"No one will be kneeling," Rose said sharply, "I can tell you that for sure."

Rose didn't stand for anyone messing us around. She was firm, level headed and self-assured - exactly how I craved to be. Since she met Tobias, she'd been like a big sister to me and she'd taught me not to let anyone walk over you no matter who they were and how much much power they had.

"When does he want to see us?" I asked.

"At dusk tonight," he replied.

I sat back up straight, "Dusk? Why dusk?"

I noticed Rose and Tobias exchange nervous glances.

"You can't deny it this time. Something isn't right," I said putting my hand firmly on the table in front of where Tobias sat, "Alpha Rivers has something sinister planned."

"As I said, your archery skills may come in handy. We will go ready to fight," Tobias said, "Because there's no backing out now. He's coming."

An hour before dusk we set out to the waterfall which sat at the edge of the territory. By the time we were coming to the end of the journey and nearing the waterfall, the light was fading fast. The sounds of gushing water were getting louder and the scent of the Pheonix pack grew stronger as we approached the border. I couldn't help but feel on edge and by the way Tobias walked with his shoulders tensed and how Rose followed at the back continually looking around, ready to attack if anything came for us, I could tell they were too.

We soon made it to the base of the waterfall, where the water pooled and bubbled, recovering from the ten-metre verticle drop before flowing smoothly downstream to where the river winded through the forest once more.

It was late September and the days still held the last lingering signs of summer but the evening air brought a harsh wintery chill. I shivered, pulled my jacket tighter around me and looked around.

No sign of him.

We must have stood waiting in silence for at least ten minutes before we heard a deep voice echo from somewhere above us.

"Alpha Brynn," it said.

It took me by surprise and my gaze snapped up to the top of the waterfall. The dark silhouette of a man stood looking down at us - tall, broad and perfectly still.

What was left of the golden rays of sunset shone behind him, casting a shadow on his face but he was the Alpha for sure. I could tell from the way he held himself; the sharp, confident tone of his voice; and the way he paused, entitled to take his time to speak.

"How lovely it is to meet again," he added eventually.

Tobias said nothing but I noticed that as the man began to jump down the rocks towards us, his jaw tightened and he swallowed. Rose stood beside him, her feet shoulder-width apart, looking strong and confident, as she always did, with her fierce red hair falling unapologetically around her face. I shuffled my feet out, standing up as straight as them before turning my gaze back to the man making his way down from the rocks.

As he got closer, his face came into view. He wore a ridiculing smirk and an excited glint in his eye that only grew brighter the longer he stared at Tobias, who stood as still as stone as if he was desperately resisting the urge to launch. My brother's lack of ease seemed to entertain Alpha Rivers like he came looking to provoke.

"You came alone?" Tobias asked in a strained voice.

"Of course," Alpha Rivers said, "Why would I need my men? But I see you brought...company," he added looking from Rose to me.

His eyes lingered on me and I only clutched my bow tighter, refusing to break my eye contact with him.

"Beautiful women," he commented, still staring deep into my eyes, "Which is your Luna?"

Tobias put his hand on Rose's shoulder, "This is Rose, my Luna," he then gestured to me, "And Esme, my sister. The two I trust to run this pack with me."

He cocked his head to the side and only broke the intense eye contact to look me up and down as his smirk exaggerated, "...how very modern of you, Alpha Brynn," he said finally taking his eyes off me and back to Tobias.

"But I'm not here to discuss women with you-" he said.

I scoffed. What a pig.

His sharp eyes instantly darted back to me

"Is there a problem, Miss Brynn?" he asked, "Any reason you are interrupting me?"

I just stared at him, folding my arms in front of me. He locked his eyes on mine, waiting patiently for my response.

"My apologies, Alpha Rivers," Tobias intervened, "Do go on-"

"I'd like to hear it from her," he said taking a step closer to me.

I said nothing but once again, held the eye contact. His cold eyes pierced and stabbed but I wasn't going to look away. I wasn't going to give in.

"Esme," Tobias hissed. "Apologise."

"Listen to your brother, Esme," Alpha Rivers jeered, "Do as he says."

He was now less than a metre from me. I could see every aspect of his face. The dark shadows his cheekbones cast, the strong symmetrical jaw and his thick dark hair. His eyes too were in high definition: icy and cold as he continued to glare.

I could only just dampen my pride enough to say it.

"Sorry," I said, forcing both syllables from my lips in the bluntest manner possible.

He nodded approvingly before stepping away and turning to face the waterfall.

"So, now that's sorted...let's talk business, Alpha Brynn," he said.

As Alpha Rivers back was turned, Tobias looked at me and widened his eyes at me. I just shrugged defensively before turning my watchful gaze back to Alpha Rivers.

"So you want my grain," Alpha Rivers continued, "And I want...what do I want?"

"That's the question we were hoping you could answer," Rose said, "Your letter came as a surprise. One day you are our enemy, the next you want to help us in our time of need?"

Alpha Rivers let out a short laugh.

"This waterfall is beautiful, isn't it?" he said, "On my side, the bank is high and the shore thin. There's hardly space to fully appreciate it. But from here...from your side...I see it in a whole new light."

He then slowly turned back around, taking his time as we waited in anticipation.

"Anyway..." he said clapping his hands, "I'll be back on your territory tomorrow afternoon with your first ten bags of grain."

"You never said what you want in return," Rose said.

Alpha Rivers smiled, "You'll see," was all he said before he turned and jumped back up onto the first rock, leading up to the top of the waterfall. His eye caught mine, "I have a few requirements. But they can wait," he said before his lips curled into a smile and he raised his arms in glory, "First, we must feed your starving people."

He then elegantly leapt up the subsequent rocks until he quickly reached the top of the waterfall where he turned and lowered into a deep bow.

"Until we meet again," he said with a grin before he stood upright again and disappeared back into the forest.

We stood in silence for a few moments, none of us sure what to think.

"Well...we aren't dead," Rose said at last in an optimistic tone.

"Despite Esme trying to pick a fight with him. What the hell was that about, huh?" Tobias added.

I ignored his question.

"And we are getting enough grain to sustain us for another week at least and it sounds like more is on the way," Rose said.

"But we still have no idea what he wants," Tobias said, "Why wouldn't he tell us?"

I bit my lip nervously, still looking up to the top of the waterfall where we had stood.

"I don't trust him," I stated, "There's something twisted about him."

I then looked down into the forest across the river. It had now fully descended into the darkness of night and as the moon rose in the sky, the shadows elongated into weird contortions of the trees that cast them.

Rose put her arm around my shoulders and turned me, prising my eyes away from the gloom, "Let's get home. Before he reappears in a clown suit or something."

I shuddered, "Good idea."