Four

Catriona’s POV

He is the war alpha?! I remember thinking before the entire arena explodes with chaos. He is so much younger than I thought he would be! For someone with such a merciless reputation, I thought for sure he would be as old as Dad, or Mom. This male can’t be much older than Vekra.

And then, I process that he chose me just as Dad leaps to his feet, his expression dangerously dark.

“Impossible!” Dad roars. “Careful with your next words, Alpha Kael. My daughter is not on the table.”

His eyes are still trained on my wide, near-panicked ones, even when Vekra and several other Ironbound warriors creep closer with deadly precision, waiting for Dad’s command to rip him and his entourage apart.

“I have made my choice, Alpha Hugh.” His deep voice is low with warning. “I will take her, or you can consider this agreement void.”

Alpha Kael’s men are also standing menacingly, awaiting his command and the courtyard vibrates with growing tension.

“Pick another. She has not even manifested.” Dad says, his voice strained.

“It does not matter to me. I will help her manifest.” He replies confidently, finally breaking eye contact with me and turning back to Dad. My entire body is shaking and I need to get myself together because everyone is watching me.

“She was not prepared for the Selection. You have twenty-one females to pick from, why are you so hell-bent on Catriona?!”

The infernal male sits, seemingly uncaring of the growing tension as he folds his arms leisurely.

“What exactly is this agreement worth to you, Alpha Hugh? Is your daughter worth losing the rest of your pack? My patience grows thin, we either agree to this alliance now or I will invade Ironbound territory within the year and when I do, there will be no mercy.” Alpha Kael says and Dad stiffens, Vekra and the other warriors edging ever closer.

“You dare to threaten me in my own territory?” Dad growls.

“I don’t make threats.” The war alpha growls back. “That was a warning. Give her to me and no more blood needs to be shed between us. Refuse and you will bury your females, your males and your children before I take your life as well.”

This can’t be happening. Of everyone, why me? My hands tighten painfully around the hidden sword while Dad snarls, claws punching out of his fingers as his wolf fights to take over.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t rip your throat out as you speak!” Dad snarls.

“You can certainly try.” Alpha Kael bares his teeth at Dad and Dad’s muscles bulge with the effort of restraining himself. “Who has more to lose between us? You have children in this clearing don’t you? Elderly? Are you certain you will kill me before my men decimate your pack?”

Mum starts heading hurriedly to Dad’s side but I’m not sure she’ll get there before Dad loses control.

“Everyone stop!” I yell and the courtyard falls silent. Dad is still breathing hard as I walk over to him on shaky legs, my hand clutching the sword like a lifeline.

“There will be no bloodshed today.” I say, shocked by the strength in my voice when my insides are quivering with fear. I don’t want to get married to the war alpha. I don’t want to leave my pack, my family to settle down in unknown territory but there’s something even more important than all of that.

I lift my cloak and raise the gargantuan sword and there is a collective intake of breath around the courtyard but it’s only Dad’s face I’m looking at.

“I drew Eirwyn.” I say and chaos erupts again.

“She what?!” I hear a female gape.

“That’s not possible.” I hear a warrior snarl. “She has not even manifested!”

“Khafal.” It starts as a whisper but it suddenly takes, growing louder, spreading farther until Ironbound wolves are chanting Khafal ecstatically and pumping their fists in the air.

My face dissolves into a relieved grin but it dies when I behold the stricken expression on Dad’s face and on Mom’s as they exchange a glance.

“Dad?” I say, faltering.

He holds up a fist and the chanting stops abruptly. “That is pack business and we shall discuss it once our visitors take their leave. Take that from her before she hurts herself.” He orders and Beta Azle steps forward and takes the sword from me.

I feel stung. I did not expect him to scream Khafal with the rest of the pack but I thought this would be evidence that I’m as much a warrior as any of them. I thought it would earn me his respect but I should have known better. Respect for Alpha Hugh is only earned and apparently, pulling Eirwyn from the Urguen cave like some charlatan’s trick is not enough to earn his.

Dad turns back to Alpha Kael while I try to force the hurt tears back. I can just imagine what they will say about me, a Khafal that cries in front of a hundred people? My people would rather be led into battle by old, crippled Wisdom Inya. My gaze finds Hela but she is staring at the sword now clutched in Beta Azle’s hands with intensity.

“Even if I wanted to give my daughter to you, Alpha Kael, she is now the only lady in this pack you absolutely cannot mate. She is Khafal and she belongs here. You’ll go with my daughter Hela because I gave you my word that our packs will align.” Dad says and his meaning is obvious enough.  We don’t exactly need the alliance again, not if Eirwyn grants us the power it promises.

Alpha Kael stands and I stagger back an instinctive step. Last night concealed just how huge the male is, how every inch of his body is hard and strong like a weapon forged for war.

“I thought I made myself very clear, Alpha Hugh.” He growls with warning. “My choice has been made. Give her to me or we go to war.”

“Then war it will be.” Dad snarls, and it’s only Mum’s hand on his arm that stops his evident rage from consuming him. “You will take her over my dead body.”

“I don’t think I will have to go that far.” He says with that dangerous smirk that reminds me of last night. My eyes widen with realization, even before his dark gaze clashes with mine and I can do nothing to stop the next words out of his mouth.

“I believe you owe me a life debt, Goldie.” He says.

My eyes narrow as anger consumes me and I wish I could throttle the bastard. I knew he was going to call the life debt somehow, sometime but to do it now, to practically demand I hand the life he saved to him, at the expense of my own pack!

“What?” Dad glances at me. “What is he talking about?”

“You don’t mean that.” I say. “I must stay with my pack, I drew Eirwyn.”

“Catriona, what in the devil is going on here?” Father growls but I’m still staring at Alpha Kael, begging him silently to take it back. He can call the debt in any other form but Eirwyn cannot fall into the hands of the enemy, my pack would rather go to war.

“You mistake my intentions. I will have you, and if you come with the damned sword, so be it.” He declares.

It is chaos after that, Father demanding details of what he means, warriors of both packs sizing each other up, waiting for the slightest signal to tear each other apart. My head hurts as I stand in the middle, a piece of meat being dragged between the two packs and at the end of the heated argument, my fate is decided. I leave with Alpha Kael.