The Summons

Lila's POV

I had gotten half way around tying my cloak when I heard the knock.

Not a polite knock. Not even a firm one.

It was a violent affair, the sound of fist hitting wood, and so loud that it shook the walls of the little house I occupied at the fringe of the pack grounds. My hands froze at my collar. My heart started racing at once.

No one ever came here.

I made myself complete tying the cloak, though I was shaky in my fingers. Today mattered. I had planned it carefully. I had quite a morning off chores, shared the work with another servant and picked the flowers myself. They were plain white, no more, though my mother had fancied them.

I made a step towards the door.

It exploded and I was not able to get it.

The door banged against the wall to the extent of the hinges screaming. Four royal guards broke inside, armed feet making tracks of dirt on my floor. Their weapons were already in their hands.

“What--“ I began, but hardly uttered it.

“You are going with us by order of Alpha Darren Ashwood,” one of them said.

I took a step back. "I haven't done anything."

They didn't answer.

Two of them grabbed my arms. They pulled me by the flesh and their fingers tore deep holes on my body. The flowers dropped out of my hands, and lay on the floor.

Wait, I said, with my voice beginning to get panicky. "Please, I just need a moment. I'm going to my parents' graves. Just let me--"

One of them kicked me to such an extent that I fell. "You don't get to make requests."

I turned, to struggle to release myself, but to no avail. I was forcibly taken out of my house and into the open air. The neighbors were watching them with their faces carefully blanked. No one stepped forward. No one spoke.

They never did.

The stroll to the palace seemed to be more than normal. My legs felt like they hardly touched the ground , as the guards eeeee dragging me half along the way. My thoughts raced. Was it that Darren no longer found me useful as a servant? Somebody had accused me of something? Did I speak out of the turn without knowing?

My chest was tight by the time we got to the gates of the palace.

They did not bring me to the servant halls or lower chambers. They brought me directly to the throne room.

That was when I realized that something had gone awry.

The guards pushed me and sent me away so abruptly that I almost fell. I was in time and only straightened myself facing the raised platform.

My brother was seated on the Alpha throne.

Darren Ashwood sat back, as though it was his possession--because it was. One of his arms was carelessly protruded on the armrest, and his face was bored, almost amused. He was not like the boy who used to follow our parents. Power had settled upon him like a second skin, and made his features sterner and his eyes harder.

"Leave us," he said.

The guards bowed and left without saying anything.

Silence filled the room.

I stood up with hands clasped together, and my heart racing. "Why am I here?"

Darren threw his head back and looked at me as though I was a nasty thing he had discovered under a foot. "No greeting for your Alpha?"

"You're my brother," I said. "And I asked you a question."

His lips twitched. "Still stubborn. Even after everything."

"What do you want?" I asked again.

He leaned forward this time. "I've made a deal."

I frowned. "A deal?"

"Yes." He got up, and took the steps gradually. "A necessary one. For the good of the pack.”

A coldness came to rest in my stomach. What the hell has that got to do with me?

He paused before me and was near enough for me to smell the wine in his breath.

I was not sure, momentarily. "What?"

"I took a loan," he said calmly. "From two kings. Powerful men. Rich men. Daniel and Marcus Blackmoor."

My breath caught. Everyone knew those names. The two Alpha kings whose territory was on three sides.

"No," I said immediately. "No. Whatever this is, I won't do it."

Darren's smile widened. “You do not even know the terms yet.”

"I don't need to," I snapped. "I know their reputation. I do not wish to get involved in whatever it is you are trying to do."

He crossed his arms. "You don't have a choice."

“You can never do this,” I said, and my voice was high. "I'm not property."

He laughed. "That's where you're wrong. You're exactly that."

My nails dug into my palms. "I won't do it. Find something else. Sell land. Raise taxes. Anything. But don’t take a loan and expect me to play along."

“You make the easiest solution,” he said, and that is all. “You will be taken to them, a breeder. Until I repay the loan you will supply them with healthy male pups. Five years."

I shook my head. "You're condemning me to death."

“You live,” he said, if you succeed. “If not, they'll kill you. And if I fail to repay them? They keep you."

“No,” I said, my voice was trembling. "I refuse."

His expression hardened. "Careful."

“I will not,” I said the second time, more loudly. “I will not go to monsters because you are unable to control yourself and you spent the pack’s money! I did not get a single dime. Why don’t you go to them and be a breeder, after all you act like a bitch.”

That was when he hit me.

The strike was so sudden that I barely noticed it. The pain burst through my face and I fell on the floor with my vision becoming blurred. I tasted blood.

“You will watch your mouth,” Darren coldly said.

I scrambled up on weakly-set legs. "I won't go."

A moment I thought he was going to strike me again. Rather he drew himself straight and turned away.

“Take her to the dungeon,” he said. “First thing tomorrow morning, the council would be summoned. We have a witch in our midst.”