CHAPTER 11

~ Ava ~

Dressed in a V-neck, long-sleeved blouse and slim-fit jeans I borrowed from Bea, I returned to the packhouse late in the afternoon. Kurt was the first to see me enter the back garden. He greeted just like he always does and expressed his happiness seeing me safe. Apparently, news about me missing since last night reached the staff and they were worried about me, too, like Bea and Michael.

To ease their worries, I decided to meet them in the kitchen. Donald, wearing a chef's hat, was cooking dinner already; Gretta, in her usual braided hair, was chopping vegetables, and Janice was preparing the plates when I saw them. Before we could chat, however, Kurt reappeared and called me.

"Miss Ava, uh, your father summons you in the assembly hall," he said.

I released a sigh. The others gave me a sympathetic look.

"Just tell them the truth, dear, and you'll be fine," Gretta advised.

I gave her a quick smile before I left the kitchen.

The assembly hall was where my father always held his business with the pack. This means he'll have his alpha face on. But this didn't matter to me, really. When he deals with me, he always gives me a serious, almost emotionless look, like I wasn't his daughter. I was used to it already.

When I entered the assembly hall that was located on the ground floor of the packhouse, I expected him to be alone, but it wasn't the case. The rest of our family was there.

Violet sat on a sectional sofa together with Evelyn. Her arms were folded while she gave me an arched, pissed-off brow, while the latter was just chewing her gum, looking nonchalant. My mother stood next to the alpha seat, placed on top of the dais like it was a king's throne. My father was busy chugging down his whiskey near the refreshment table.

When he saw me stand on the base of the dais, he neared his alpha seat and lowered his ass on it. 

"Where were you last night, Ava?" he immediately asked. "Wasn't I clear when I said you will always return to the packhouse before evening?"

"Janice was the only one who took care of our dinner. You should be ashamed of yourself," Violet butted in with her haughty voice.

I gave her a sharp glare. Damn her and her tongue.

My father threw me a castigating look. They were the same as my mother's and sisters. They saw me guilty already, despite not hearing my side first. However, I didn't let this get to me. What I was angry about was the fact that they didn't even show any hint of worry about me; that I could have been killed by the rogue pack.

They were clearly more worried about their meals, their laundry, and their clean bedroom and bathrooms than me. Damn them.

I lifted my chin up and controlled my temper from exploding. "I had to go to the forest to—" I answered but then was cut off when the doors of the assembly hall opened again.

"Alpha!" His beta, Sherwin, ran near us looking winded and panicky.

My father's cool expression changed. "What is wrong with you? You look like you just saw a ghost," he asked.

"Alpha, th—the Silver Moon Pa—ack is here," Sherwin answered, his voice shaking.

Violet and Evelyn's gasps were audible. My mother looked at my father with fear. The latter rounded his eyes and left his seat quickly. 

"What? The Silver Moon Pack?" He looked composed, but I saw how his hands trembled.

My hands trembled, too. Hearing about the Silver Moon Pack visiting us meant Alpha Darius was here to see me. The thought that he was serious with his promise gave me chills. But on the bright side, this meant he has answers about the symbol on my back. 

"Y—es, alpha. Our guards spotted at least twenty of them on their way here," Sherwin confirmed.

Twenty? Does he really need to bring that many men with him?

My father looked ashen this time. "This is...unprecedented," he muttered, lowering his gaze on the floor. "Why would they come here?"

"Honey,"—my mother placed a hand on his shoulder and continued—"I suggest we strike them first." She may sound courageous, but I could see the distress in her eyes, too. She was about to crumble.

My father slowly shook his head and gritted his teeth. "No, that won't do, Frida. You heard the news this morning. They killed four of our pack members. It must be a warning to us not to do anything reckless. If they visit us in broad daylight amidst this tension, they must have something to discuss. I'm willing to undergo it if it means the safety of our people."

He was right, and what a sane decision it was. However, there was one thing he was wrong about and that was the killings last night. Alpha Darius and his men didn't do it, and my greatest bet was that they were framed by another pack.

He glanced at his two beloved daughters who were now embracing each other out of fear, then to his wife and last to me.

His eyes dipped to my neckline, furrowed his brows, and then all of a sudden, his worried expression changed to surprise again.

I felt cognizant and wondered why he looked shocked. 

"Frida, get Violet and Evelyn with you," he said, gathering back his composure. "Stay in our hideout until I come for you."

"No, we won't go there, dad!" Violet cried out. "We will...we will stay with you!"

I rolled my eyes heavenward. She'd only be a distraction if she'd stay here. Plus, knowing Alpha Darius, I bet it would only rile him further to see a woman in the assembly hall.

"Violet, you know already what the Silver Moon Pack is capable of!" my father boomed. "Don't defy my order. Go now!"

My mother stepped back, stared at my sisters and said, "Violet, Evelyn, come."

Instantaneously, the two followed her. I was left standing in front of him, not knowing what to do. I knew Alpha Darius wants me, but I couldn't tell that to my father.

"Ava, you are dismissed," he said, returning to his chair and sending me a glare. 

I didn't question his order. I walked away and used the same back door where my sisters and mother retreated. However, instead of going to my room, I stayed behind the door and waited until the doors of the assembly hall opened again.

A tall man wearing a combat jacket and black pants appeared from the doorway. He wore glasses that matched his look. He wasn't Alpha Darius, my mind commented, but it looked like he was as important as the alpha.

"Alpha Magnus," he started in a loud voice. "May I present, Alpha Darius Cage of the Silver Moon Pack."

Garbed in a dark blue trench coat and black boots, Alpha Darius entered the hall like a grim reaper ready for a kill. He was scowling. There wasn't a single line on his face that indicated he smiled often. His short black hair was brushed up neatly as opposed to the unkempt look he sported last night. For me, he almost looked like a businessman here to collect a debt. 

His men followed him, moving like a thousand armies despite their small number.

A chill crept up my nape as soon as he stopped where I stood earlier, and his piercing brown eyes landed on my father.

"Alpha Darius, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" my father asked, sounding too stiff than the normal.

"I have come to collect my prisoner," he answered in a firm voice.

Prisoner? My thoughts exclaimed. Why the fuck was he calling me a prisoner?

"Prisoner?" my father parroted, confused like me.

I squeezed my eyes shut and inwardly cursed. 'Shit. Here it goes.'

"She's your daughter. Her name is Ava Carter," Alpha Darius answered.

"Ava? What did she do to receive your ire?"

With my heartbeat doubling by the second, I watched as Alpha Darius grinned. 

"Attempted poisoning," he said.

Attempted what?! My head cried out.

"Last night, she snuck into my territory and placed poison on my wine to kill me," he continued.

My jaw dropped when I realized he just made a ridiculous story about me. Does this even make sense? Does he think my father would believe him? But why was he doing this? Why not just tell him about the symbol?

"What?" My father sounded confused too. "Ava did that? Do you have proof?"

"Are you questioning my words, Magnus?" Alpha Darius cocked a brow. My father was older than him, but he didn't show one bit of respect for him.

"I am merely connecting the dots, Alpha Darius," my father backpedaled. If only I could see the expression on his face from where I hid, I'd probably see uncertainty on it. "She...she didn't return to the packhouse last night, after all."

Alpha Darius lifted a hand midair and said, "There's your answer. So, bring her to me and I'll exact a punishment fit for her."

Punishment... I couldn't say if he was just bluffing, but if he really wanted to punish me just because of this symbol on my back then fuck him.

With my father already disliking me and hating my presence in the packhouse, I expected he'd hand me over to Alpha Darius quickly, but I was taken aback when he firmly said this time.

"No, I won't do that."