The Prophecy And Challenge

The weakest member of the pack, Diva Crest was used to being overlooked. No one had hopes of her—not for leadership, not for power, and certainly not for a legacy that would be remembered.

Tonight would be no different.

The year's werewolf convention was well underway, the big room full of conversation, but to Diva, cold.

Never exciting. Always boring," she muttered to herself into the room.

But smiled on and trudged over to the Silverfangs' section of the pack.

"Hi, everyone," she said, her voice ringing with forced cheer.

No one replied.

Some gave her a half-glance, indifferent, and went back to talking.

She inhaled. "Why even bother?"

The air in the room changed. A shiver ran over the crowd. Whispering ceased. Chatter fell silent.

The Soothsayer had appeared.

The older lady, in her flowing robes, and older than the rest of them, appeared on to the stage. People were whispering at her approach, but her eyes, which were watchful, hard eyes, were making Diva weak and ill.

She was staring directly at her.

Diva was receiving a sick thud in her tummy.

"Good evening, noble wolves. Welcome, one and all, to this year's annual gathering."

"Good evening, Ancient Soothsayer," the crowd parroted back as a collective.

"I shall now call up each of the pack alphas," she continued, calling them out.

"Alpha Roland of the Emeraldfang. Luna Rachel of the Bronzefang. Alpha Mike of the Ruby Fang. Alpha Derek of the Blackfang. And not least, Luna Diva of the Silverfang."

Diva's body stiffened. "Me?"

The other leaders floated forward with a smooth ease. She stuttered, her body not wanting to obey.

"Soothers, then," the Soothsayer insisted again, her tone not up for discussion.

She moved forward, hesitantly into place at the rear of the rest. She didn't belong here. She wasn't one of them.

The Soothsayer scanned the leaders, then nodded. "It seems one of our leaders is absent—Alpha Derek of the Blackfang."

The alphas growled among themselves, but before Diva could let out a relieved breath, the Soothsayer's gaze returned to her.

"The rest of you may sit down—except for oneDiva."

Her breath stuck.

The hushed hallway, already so clenched-mouthed, is crushing.

Can I step outside?" Diva breathed gravely, all she wanted was to escape.

The Soothsayer entered the room, addressing her softly so that everyone would hear except for Diva herself.

"You know you can't fool me with your small fibs." She

The tension in Diva's muscles stiffened rock-hard and she swallowed with a closing sensation at the back of her throat.

Then coughed the Soothsayer and spoke to the room.

"I, in front of every one of you who stand here gathered, pronounce Diva Crest to be Blackfang Pack alpha's doomed mate Alpha Derek Valen."

Then was a frosty silence and then room pandemonium was unleashed.

"Boo! She doesn't deserve him!"

"She's too weak!"

The air was filled with shocked gasps and angry whispers, as contagious as fire.

Diva's world began to crumble.

"Alpha Derek?"

The most ruthless, most heartless alpha packs ever known? The one whose arrival made wolves tremble?

"This cannot be," she shook, hardly a whisper.

The Soothsayer's verdict cut through turmoil. "Fate never makes mistakes."

"But I couldn't be with someone like him!" Diva protested. "I'm not even strong enough to be his Luna!"

The Soothsayer nodded her head, whispering in a voice barely audible.

"You are not as weak as you think. All will be revealed in time.”

Diva's mind spun, she was appalled. She would not believe this. She would not accept this.

"No… I must break this bond.".

Steeling herself for what he would tell her, taking a final glance at the Soothsayer, she turned and ran back into darkness.

Diva had not even had a moment to consider the prophecy before her door was preceded by a knock.

She was tense. She knew they were already there.

Three of the Blackfang guards stood in her doorway, stone faces.

Diva chuckled. "Tell him I'm not in."

The guards did not blink. "Alpha Derek commanded us to complete what we began before we return.”

"What the…!

"Help! I’m being abducted!" she shouted, but her own pack only watched in silence.

“Cowards”, she thought bitterly.

"Fine!" she spat. "I’ll go! Just put me down."

The guard yanked her up, but they closed around her in a manner that would not let her flee.

The journey to Derek's manor was tense. With every step towards it, the mate bond ached more severely. Her wolf inside stirred.

"No, I will not take this bond."

When she reached nearby, Diva's breath was caught in her throat.

The Blackfang manor reached and towered, a keep above the forest. Unyielding and merciless.

The great hall within was even more daunting. And at its very center, sitting like a king on his throne, sat Derek Valen.

Tall. Gray slashing eyes. An aura of frigid command.

She gritted her teeth, reminding herself that she was not to be tempted by him under the mate bond.

He looked at her in silence for an awfully long time before he found it worth his while to speak.

"You're shorter than I expected."

Diva's hackles bristled. Asshole.

"Neither do I. But it does. And until I can get my head around what to do with you, you're remaining here."

"Meaning?" She goaded me.

His eyes went dark. "Meaning you belong to me. My property. And I will decide your fate."

Diva took a step forward, her eyes burning. "I am not your property."

He sneered.

Derek leaned forward, his sneer slicing.

"I'm offering let's make it interesting. A challenge. You win, you go. You lose? You become my Luna."

Diva's breath hitched.

A challenge… with him?

This was a trap.

But she wasn't going down.

She looked at him. "Fine. I accept.”