THE RED SACRIFICE

CHAPTER 1: THE RED SACRIFICE

ELENA:

“Wow, you look amazing, Elana,” Kamala said as she watched me put finishing touches to my makeup. She was my best friend and the Beta's daughter. So we practically grew up together.

“Thanks girl,” I said, leaning into the mirror to fix my lip gloss. With a smile on my face I reminded her why I needed to look my best. It's my birthday today and my parents were throwing me a party tonight. I wanted to look like a movie star.

Kamala was struggling with the heavy zipper, trying to help me zip up my dress when I heard slow footsteps hitting the marble floor in the hallway. It sounded majestic, like a king approaching. Only one man walked that way in this pack, my father, Alpha Darius Thorne. I frowned, wondering where he was headed. Dad usually didn't come by my room this late when guests were already arriving at the hall.

Just then, a sharp knock hit the door. “Come in,” I called out, adjusting myself.

The door swung open and Dad stepped in, looking every bit the Alpha he truly was. His face lit up as he looked from my head to my toes. “You look amazing, princess,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face.

“Thanks Dad,” I said, twirling in the mirror.

“But you aren't gonna wear that green dress.”

I froze, and my mouth fell open. “What? Why not? You just told me I looked beautiful a moment ago. I've been planning this outfit for weeks.”

Right then, Pamela, the head maid, walked in holding a heavy garment bag. She bowed to my dad, then handed the bag to me. I pulled back the plastic, and gasped.

In it sat a deep, blood-red silk that looked like it was glowing. The fabric was heavy and expensive, encrusted with thousands of tiny, hand-stitched rubies and crystals that caught the light like fire. It didn't just look like a dress; it looked like a statement

I turned to Dad with wide eyes. “This must have cost a fortune,” I whispered, running my fingers over the stones.

Dad nodded. “You're worth every cent, Princess. I want you to wear it tonight because it's a special day for our family. Happy birthday, honey.”

I beamed at Dad, giving him a warm kiss on his cheek. “Thanks Dad.”

He turned and started walking toward the door.

Suddenly, I felt a chill cover my heart. And I knew something was off.

This wasn't the usual green color our pack was known for. Not the grey of our territory or the black we wore for funerals. Red was a warning signal.

"Dad?" I called out to him as his hand rested on the door knob. “Why do you insist I wear red tonight?”

"Because tonight," he said, his voice deep and vibrating with that Alpha authority that usually left everyone in the pack feeling intimidated. "You represent a new era in this pack. Tonight you're gonna see that our bloodline stays strong."

I frowned. “I thought tonight was about celebrating my birthday. Is there something you're not telling me?”

Dad nodded, his eyes glowing a faint eerie amber. It was usually a sign his wolf was right under the surface.

"The Blackwood Pack will be here tonight, princess."

My heart dropped to my feet. "You’re joking right?," I whispered. "Tell me you're joking, Dad."

"I don’t joke about the survival of this pack, Elena."

Of course he didn’t. But the Blackwoods? They weren't just rivals. They were our greatest enemies, and the reason we lived behind a border fence made of silver-tipped iron. They were the ones who had been picking off our sentries for years. They were monsters among monsters, killing our warriors and kidnapping our women and children.

"Why are they coming into our heartland on my birthday?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs like it wanted to jump out. "You know damn well they’ll kill us all before the appetizers are served."

He gave me that cold, politician smile—the one he used when he was about to sell a soul for a seat at the table.

"Tonight, we will end the war by forming an alliance. We are gonna make history. And you're the key to making it happen."

Before I could say another word, Dad opened the door and left the room.

I had a bad feeling about this. But I didn't hesitate to put on the expensive red dress. Dad didn't like arguing, and I wasn't about to ruin this special day of mine.

The dress fit like a second skin, hugging every curve from my waist to my hips without a single wrinkle. It had a daring, deep V-neckline that showed off just enough skin to be dangerous, and the skirt hit the floor in a sleek mermaid cut that trailed behind me like a pool of blood.

By the time I stepped into the Great Hall, it was packed with guests. The place smelled like expensive cologne, old money, and the unmistakable scent of the enemies.

Men in custom-tailored suits stood at every corner. But you could see the way their shoulders bunched, like they were ready to shift at any second. They weren't just guests; they were warriors.

Every woman in diamonds had a silver dagger tucked into her garter. That was just how we lived. That was why the Blackwood Pack hadn't succeeded in wiping us off the surface of the earth. Yet today they were coming into our pack to “form an alliance”.

I walked in with my chin up, my shoulders back, eyes staring straight ahead, acting like I could shred anyone in the room if they looked at me wrong.

But inside? I was troubled. My wolf was whining, telling me to run for the woods and never look back.

As I took a seat beside my parents at the high table, Dad squeezed my hand before stepping onto the marble dais. He raised a crystal flute, and the room went dead silent. You could hear the wind howling outside the manor, hitting the trees like a physical blow.

"Today is my daughter's birthday," he began, his voice echoing off the gold-leaf ceiling, “And we're here to honour her.”

Dad turned to me and nodded. I rose to my feet and headed to where my four-layer cake was standing. I blew out the candles and cut the first slice while everyone sang, but my eyes were scanning the doors.

Dad took the microphone, turning to the crowd. “To crown this celebration tonight, we're putting an end to a circle.”

I was staring at him, wondering what he was talking about.

“No more sons lost to the border. No more daughters fearing the moon."

A murmur went through the crowd. I felt a chill crawl down my spine.

"The Thorne Pack..." he continued, looking right at me, "...and the Blackwood Pack will finally become one."

I froze. My breath hitched in my throat.

One? How? You don't just "become one" with people who hunted your pack for sport.

"To seal this blood-bond..." Dad said, and his voice got louder, "my daughter, Elena Thorne... will be mated to Adrian Blackwood, the new Alpha of the Blackwood throne."