Draven estate

I pressed my face to the car window watching Draven estate grow larger as we approached. Towering buildings of glass reached toward the sky, I felt so intimidated. I heaved back into the seat.

“Having second thoughts?” Kael asked from the driver seat, his voice carefully neutral.

“Yes,” I admitted, smoothing my hands over the deep blue dress that he had bought for me. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever worn, but it didn’t hide the imposter that I was underneath. A pretender who had no business in the world of power of business and privilege.

“It’s not too late to change your mind. I can take you somewhere safe, somewhere far from here.”

The offer was tempting, because I wanted to be anywhere but here. But Marcus and the Beta was still out there, and they would demand justice for crimes that I haven’t committed.

“No.” I said firmly. “You said you needed one night to figure out how you were going to keep me safe. “

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “And I will keep to that.”

I was a nobody; it was not going to be hard for the Beta to reach out to his dad to authorize my execution. At least with him, I felt safe.

We pulled into a circular drive that could have accommodated a dozen cars. Valets in formal attire rushed to open our doors, and I found myself face to face with the kind of luxury I had only heard about in stories.

“Remember,” Kael said quietly. “You are here as my personal guest. That gives you special protections but that means that people will be watching your every move.”

“Watching for what?”

“Signs of weakness. Evidence that you do not belong,” His jaw tightened. “My father’s enemies would love nothing than to use you against him. And me.”

The grand foyer took my breath away. A crystal chandelier the size of a small house loomed from the ceiling. Priceless artwork adorned the walls. But it was the people that really captured my attention. Everywhere I looked I saw power. It exuded from every perfectly groomed Alpha, every elegantly dressed Luna. These were the wolves who controlled the Northern Territories, the ones who decided the fate of thousands with a wave or a word.

And they were all staring at me. I couldn’t stop my nervous hands from shaking and hid it between the folds of my dress. Beside me, Kel walked confidently and I tried to mirror that.

“Lord Kael!” A woman’s voice rang across the foyer. “There you are. We were beginning to worry.”

Selara Crimson glided across the floor in a graceful manner. She was stunning in most ways that she-wolves were; dangerous, untouchable and confident in her own superiority.

“Selara,” Kael said politely, but I could hear the tension in his voice. “You look lovely tonight.”

“Thank you,” Selara’s gorgeous green eyes flicked to me in disdain. “And who is this?”

“Lyria Moonhart.” He replied, his tone carefully neutral. “She is my guest tonight.”

The temperature in the foyer seemed to drop ten degrees.

Conversations stuttered to a stop as everybody within earshot turned to stare at me, the condemned witch who was not worthy at all to be in their presence.

“Moonhart.” Selara repeated slowly, rolling the name on her tongue, and squeezing her face like she was tasting something bitter. “That name sounds familiar. Haven’t I heard it recently…with some rumors?”

“There was a misunderstanding with my former pack.” My voice was quiet. I was scared of her, and the way her sharp gaze tore through me. “Lord Kael helped me to resolve the situation.”

A slimy smile tipped the corner of her lips. “How generous of him. Though I wonder what could possibly motivate such…charity toward someone far beneath his social circle.”

I put my eyes down, staring at my feet, feeling blood rush up my neck. The insult was delivered with such eloquence that anyone overhearing might think that it was a casual conversation.

Kael’s voice hardened. “Selara, that is enough.”

She gave me a final condescending once-over, then moved beside him. “Your father wants to see you. He is in his study.”

His steps faltered. “I am about to leave you now. But I won’t take time. I’ll be down in a minute.”

He was going to leave me here, in the midst of these people who would tear me apart with disapproving stares and unkind words. I flicked my gaze between him and Selara.

“I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself.”

KAEL

I stepped into my father’s study unsure of myself. Selara followed me, uninvited but tolerated. She was going to be my future wife so she I would have to get used to her following me everywhere.

Alpha Damien, my father stood behind his massive oak desk, his presence filling the entire room. His eyes were filled with barely restrained fury.

“Close the door.” Damien ordered. I obeyed, though every instinct screamed at me to run.

“I’ve been hearing interesting rumours…” He began, his voice deceptively calm. “…about rogue attacks and mysterious healers. I want to hear what happened from your mouth?”

I stilled. I expected this. There was nothing that happened in the territory that did not escape his ears. “The rogues were dealt with. There were no casualties.”

“That is not what I asked.” Damien moved around the desk, with measured steps. “I asked about the Moonhart girl. The healer. What is she doing here?”

“She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I protected a pack member from attack. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more.” He repeated, his smile like ice. “Then you wouldn’t mind that I have decided that she would be removed from the territory entirely.”

 I kept my face as neutral as possible. “What has she done?”

“The Moonhart bloodline is tainted.” He continued. “Her mother was a dark mage and she shows the same signs. She’s a threat to pack stability.”

“She is a healer,” I protested, my maintained control cracking. “She helps people.”

“She kills people.” Selara interjected smoothly. “Everyone knows about the Beta’s Luna. The woman was perfectly healthy until she went to that witch for treatment.”

Was this a setup? The Beta had his own competent healer. Why would they go to a minor healer for treatment? To me it seemed that they were trying to blame the Luna’s death on her to get her killed for no reason.

“The decision is made.” Damien’s voice cut through the room like a whip. “We decided against a public execution. Marcus has volunteered to handle the situation quietly.”

The implication of his words hit me like a physical blow. Marcus will make sure Lyria suffered before she died. My wolf, Sergius snarled, demanding action. ‘You have to protect her Kael. You have to protect her.”

“You can’t do that.” I barked. “You and I know that she has done nothing wrong.”

Damien’s eyes narrowed. “Can’t? did you just tell me what I can’t do?”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Selara took a step back. I could feel the fear radiating from her body.

“She is innocent.” I said firmly.

“She is a Complication we can’t afford. Especially not now that we are close to finalizing the alliance with crimson claw. I won’t have a half breed witch undermining everything we have worked for.”

Again, what was Lyria’s role in all of this?

“And if I refuse to let you harm her?”

Selara gasped. I had just challenged my father; the prime alpha of the Northern territory. What I had just done carried serious consequences.

For a long moment, he was silent with an amused smile on his face that carried no warmth. The only sound in the room was the heave of my angered breaths.

“The Moonhart girl dies tonight. And you will be the one to do it. Consider it a wedding gift to your bride.”

I looked at Selara and I saw her eyes glitter with anticipation. She was enjoying this. I felt so sick.

“Choose, son,” He continued. “Your duty to this pack & your future mate, or your misguided sympathy for a nobody.”

The mate-bond in my chest pulled tight and every instinct I possessed demanded that I do all I could to protect her but I was also my father’s heir and was bound by duty to serve the pack’s interests. The weight of that responsibility had shaped me my entire life, and had made me the man that I was now.

“I need time to think.” Was all I could say.

“You have until sunset, after that Marcus handles it his way.”

I turned and walked away from the room, brushing past Selara like she was invisible. My mind was racing. I had no idea what to do.

It would be very easy to reject her. Like dad said, she was a worthless nobody. And I was the heir to everything. The gap was just too much.

But I had also promised that I would save her.

For the first time in a long while, I didn’t know what to do.