Chapter 3: Thane

Fate must really be against me.

I'd endured my fair share of misfortune, agony and pain. Broken bones, the stark terror of facing death's cold certainty in battle, and the brutal stripping away of dignity in torture and all this before I'd even reached adulthood.

But this... this was the cruelest blow of all.

A member of the Eclipse pack, my sworn enemies, was my mate. Not just any member, but a Diamanté – the very family I'd sworn to despise.

Cameron Diamanté's little sister. The man whose very name made my blood boil with a hatred so fierce, it seemed to burn within my very soul.

The irony was suffocating. Why would the universe deal me such a hand?

“You okay, Thane?”

I stepped out of the SUV, my gaze meeting Lyra's as she waited for me to lead the way.

I let out a dry huff, my response laced with irritation.

“What do you think?" I grumbled, my tone a clear warning to tread carefully.

Lyra trailed behind me, her voice holding amusement. "Hey, don't take it out on me. It's not my fault you mated with a freaking Eclipse. I mean, leave it to you."

Her teasing tone was a familiar comfort, one that only a handful of people could get away with.

Lyra had known me since childhood, and her sharp wit and battle hardened skills made her the perfect beta.

As we walked through the town square, I was relieved to see my people going about their daily lives, seemingly carefree despite the ongoing war.

It was a facade I would do anything to maintain, ensuring they felt safe within our territory.

Lyra was one of the only people who could use such a casual tone with me.

A couple bowed at me hastily and scurried out of the way their eyes cast downward in respect.

The behaviour was nothing new.

My people saw me as a stoic, serious figure just as they had viewed my father and I preferred it that way.

I was their alpha, their leader, and it was my duty to do everything in my power to protect and provide for them. I’m return, I demanded respect.

Lyra fell into step beside me, her voice a gentle counterpoint to my brooding thoughts.

“Come on, Thane. It could be worse."

We entered the pack government building, and the secretary at the front desk bowed hastily, handing Lyra a schedule.

I grunted, my mind still preoccupied with the revelation about my mate.

“She's a kid, Lyra," I spoke running a hand down my face.

Lyra shrugged. "Nathan said she'll be twenty in the fall."

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

Twenty was still young, especially compared to my own twenty-seven years.

I really felt the weight of fate's cruel joke settling upon me.

Why had the universe seen fit to mate me to a member of the Eclipse pack, and a young one at that?

“Don’t worry, you heard Mary. We just have to wait two weeks and you can get rid of her.” Lyra spoke, her voice reassuring.

I clenched my jaw, the thought offered little comfort.

Two weeks seemed too long.

The last thing I needed was for Landon to find out about a freaking Diamanté locked up in our guest room. It wouldn’t take him long to put two and two together.

Even her scent was driving my wolf wild, and it took every ounce of self control I possessed to keep myself in check. The attraction I felt towards her was a betrayal, a twisted joke played on me by the universe. Being drawn to a member of the Eclipse pack, and a Diamanté no less, disgusted me. It made me question the very fabric of nature, and my place within it.

Lyra led the way into the grand meeting hall, where my council awaited. As I entered, they rose to their feet, their faces grave with respect. I nodded curtly, my mind still reeling from the turmoil brewing within me.

"Alpha Thane," Gomez, my head Gamma, announced, his voice booming through the grand hall as he welcomed me to the podium.

I nodded curtly, my gaze sweeping across the assembly before signaling for them to take their seats.

The rustling of chairs and murmurs of anticipation filled the air as the council members settled in.

I cleared my throat, my eyes locking onto Lyra's steady presence off to the side. She offered a reassuring nod, her expression a mask of calm confidence.

I drew a deep breath, my voice ringing out across the hall. "I think we all know why we're here. You've requested an update on the war efforts, and I am pleased to inform you that our strategic plan has come to fruition. The daring operation, expertly executed under the leadership of Beta Lyra and Gamma Gomez, has yielded a crucial victory: the youngest Diamanté is now in our custody."

The hall erupted into cheers and triumphant shouts, the council members exchanging congratulatory glances and nods.

“Where is she?” Voice rose from the crowd.

The question hung in the air rising above the din of celebration.

I met the inquiry with a calm, authoritative tone. “Safe. In my hold. Beta Lyra and I will oversee her imprisonment until Alpha Cameron is ready to negotiate."

“Negotiate?”

The room fell silent, anticipation hanging in the balance. But before the stillness could settle, Randall stood up, his imposing figure towering over the assembly.

His beard, flecked with grey hairs. I struggled to keep my irritation at bay, my gaze narrowing slightly as I met his gaze.

“With all due respect, Alpha.” Randall began, his voice laced with a hint of challenge. "No one wants to see the Diamanté girl safe. We have a golden opportunity right now."

His words dripped with an unspoken implication, one that seemed to suggest I was somehow soft on our captive. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as the council awaited my response.

He looked around the hall. “I say, we send alpha Cameron pieces of her until he agreed to bow down to the Tempest pack.”

The hall erupted into cheers, the sound waves crashing against me like a tidal wave.

I cast a side glance at Lyra, her expression a mask of neutrality, but I knew her well enough to detect the silent disapproval in her eyes.

She was thinking that Randall's behaviour was predictable.

I kept my gaze from turning into a glare, but it was a close call.

Randall was ten years my senior. More skilled in battle and he would have been the next alpha if I hadn’t handed him his ass in the last alpha challenge.

Part of me believes he has never let that go and is still secretly vying for my title.

Hence his childish behaviour now.

There was no way he knew about my little bird locked away. But if he did, this would be the perfect time to cause an uprising against me.

“Enough."

The air was electric with tension as I asserted my dominance, my voice low and menacing.

The room fell silent, the pack members' eyes fixed on me as I continued, my words dripping with authority. "The Diamanté girl is our most important bargaining chip. And I am well aware of that."

My gaze locked onto Randall, his smug expression a challenge, but I kept my tone even, my words calculated to make it known I wasn’t tolerating any disrespect.

"I know most of you want to see her pay for what her brother and their pack have done to us. But for now, only Beta Lyra and I will know her exact location. We need to optimize this opportunity, to use it to our fullest advantage. And believe me, we will make Alpha Cameron suffer for everything he has done to us." My words were met with a mixture of nods and murmurs of agreement, the pack members seeming to accept my leadership and strategy.

But beneath the surface, my wolf stirred, its protective instincts on high alert, a primal growl rumbling in my chest at the thought of anyone harming my mate.

I fought to maintain a stance of indifference as I left the podium and got off the stage wondering how the heck I was going to keep this secret and pull this off.