Chapter 2

Riven

The kiss was over, but Lara's hands still wouldn’t leave my face, her eyes still holding mine. Her smile was back, the perfectly practiced curve of her lips.

"I'm going to a party at the East Wing tonight," she said, her voice dropping a little. "You should come. You get to celebrate the victory of today's match. It will look good for the pack."

Yes, it was always for the pack. Always. Everything was for the pack. Everything was for the way it would look. Everything was a show. Nobody cared about what was good for me.

"I can't," I said, trying to make my voice sound sorry, even though I was not. "I have training this evening."

She frowned, and for a moment, her perfect face now looked a little less perfect.

"Riven, you’re the Alpha. You can tell them you have other things to do."

I shook my head. "No. The coach is serious. He wants everyone there."

Her frown deepened, she was clearly not pleased by my subtle rejection. But I didn't give a damn. A party was the least of my worries. And a sad girlfriend? Not even on my list.

She finally let go of my face and took a step back. Immediately, the air around me felt a little lighter. Believe me, I was beginning to realize that all the air in my life belonged to her. Like whenever she was near, I couldn't breathe properly.

She said goodbye, and with a final nod to my teammates, she was gone.

Almost as soon as the door closed, Coach Williams walked in. His energy was like always—fire for fire. He was a man who lived and breathed hockey, and his passion was a force of nature. He was an older man, a tough wolf, and he didn't care about politics or titles. He just cared about the game.

"Okay. Listen up, guys! Listen up!" he boomed, and the remaining noise in the locker room died instantly.

"I want you to hear me clearly. There's a training session late this evening. And I need each and every one of you present.” His eyes swept through us all.

“I mean every one of you. I don't care if you're the president, I don't care if you’re sick, I don't care if you're tired, or if your girlfriend promised you some coochie tonight. I don't care. I want all of you to be present here. And on time. Do you understand me?"

A chorus of "Yes, Coach!" went up from the guys.

"This is our season, and we will not play like cowards. Do you understand me?" he continued, hammering his hand in the air in a fist.

A chorus of "Yes, Coach!" went up from the guys again.

Coach Williams’ gaze swept over us one last time and he nodded once, with a look of satisfaction on his face. He didn't say anything more, he just turned and walked out, leaving the locker room in a quiet state of shock.

He was a man of few words, but every word he said was a command.

I finished packing my bag. The sounds of the other guys chatting and packing were very distant in my ears. My mind was already racing, thinking about the meeting with the council. It wasn't the kind of meeting you just walked into without knowing what was going to happen. I needed some heads-up.

As I zipped my bag, I reached out with my mind, sending a thought to my Beta, Stiles. It's something Alphas can do with their Beta.

••Yo, Stiles. What is this meeting about? My old man called me in.••

A moment later, his thoughts came back to me, calm but with a subtle tension.

••Same old issue, Alpha. They want to talk about your duties. About Lara. About the future of the pack.••

I felt a wave of familiar frustration wash over me. It was always the same lecture. Every damn time.

••Is that all?•• I asked him.

••I don't know, Alpha. The elders... they've been very quiet. My father said the Alpha sounded unhappy when he called for the meeting.••

My heart sank. My father was always unhappy with me. Always looking for faults. Never appreciated my work. My efforts were always void in his presence.

All he always cared about was the pack. He didn't care about what I wanted, it was only about the name I carried.

I cut the link, the thought of Stiles's words still lingering in my mind. I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the locker room, joining the stream of students moving towards the school's exit.

The school grounds were full of students. Silverfangs University was a grand place, with massive buildings and wide walkways, but beneath it all, you could feel the pack’s presence. This wasn't just a school; it was the heart of our pack.

It was a place where we were supposed to grow, to learn our roles, to become the leaders we were destined to be. It was our world.

As I walked, a sudden cold shiver ran down my spine. It was like the wind brought with it a sweet smell. Something that smelled like a mix of… damn, I couldn't name what.

But it smelled so fine. And just by perceiving it, I was already feeling something I didn't understand.

My wolf, Ford, stirred inside me, causing a restless energy to start building in my chest.

“Hey, Ford. What's wrong?” I asked him.

But there was no answer. Just a quiet hum of unease.

I knew Ford was not a man of words. He was a creature of feeling. And his feelings right now were something I couldn't understand.

I ignored it. Because I had to. There was no time for strange feelings and sweet smells. The council was waiting for me.

I walked towards the Grand Hall. It was a massive building at the center of the campus. It was where the pack held all of its important meetings. I could feel the eyes on me as I walked. The students all knew who I was. The future Alpha.

The captain. The boy who was supposed to be perfect.

"Alpha," a young student said, bowing his head slightly as I passed. I gave him a nod, with a forced smile on my face.

"Alpha," another one said, a group of girls whispering as I walked by. Their respect was for the titles I held, and not for me. And I knew that.

I walked into the hall, and the massive door closed behind me with a quiet thud.

The room was full. The entire council was there, sitting at a long table. All their faces were serious, with zero smiles. They were all older men, and maybe a few young men who were lucky to have been chosen.

My father was at the head of the table, his face stony. He was a huge man, and his presence was difficult to hide.

"You are late, Riven," he said, with a voice as cold as ice.

I said nothing, just walked to my seat and sat down. The meeting had begun.

And I had a feeling it was going to be a long, long night.