CHAPTER 1

ELIRA

The bags in my hands tumble to the floor in slow motion, their content spilling over the tarred ground and making a mess.

I can't think. I can't breathe. I can't even make sense of the chaos that is playing out before me.

I rush forward on shaky legs, my eyes filling with tears and my head pounding with confusion. The men before me are familiar. They are the Alpha's guards.

Normally , I look forward to seeing them because whenever they were in sight, the incredibly handsome Alpha Kael was nearby. But not today. Today their vans are parked outside my house, my mother is being dragged out with chains around her wrists and tears streaming down her face, and the door to our house is sitting in a pile of ruins.

“What is going on?“ I force my mouth to ask. I need to ignore the pain that's coursing through me like a violent storm if I want to get any answers.

The guard closest to me turns at the sound of my voice, something akin to annoyance burning in his eyes. “Who are you?“

“I'm the daughter of the woman you're pulling into a van right now.“ I lift my chin in defiance. “Elira Vanz, the daughter of honored Beta, Elliott Vanz.“

The need to remind them of my father who had died by taking a silver bullet to the spine as he jumped in to save the Alpha's father is something I didn't think I'd ever do; but I do it now.

His eyes soften, now reflecting remorse. “We apologize for whatever taint this leaves on your father's immaculate image, but this has to be done?“

“Why?“ I quip. “What did she do?“

“Your mother is accused of treason.“

“Arman!“ The head guard calls out angrily.

The guard before me turns to face him. “Sir.“

“What the hell do you think you're doing? Is this some sort of mate hunt to you?“

Arman balks at the accusation. “I wouldn't dare. This is the daughter of Lisa Vanz.“

The eyes of the head guard locks on mine. “Young woman, this is important. Do not get in the way.“

Despite the pain and confusion I am feeling, anger makes its presence known. “I deserve an explanation as to why my house has been ruined and my mother is being taken away.“

“Whatever you need to know, you can find out at the Alpha's manor. You can either come with us or make your way there privately, but if you delay our plans one second longer, you might find yourself dealing with an offense far bigger than you.“

I start to give him a response, but Mom pokes her head out of the car window and speaks in a voice that is awfully calm.

“Elira, let them do their job.“

“No! Why are you being arrested?“ I run to the car, beating at the window she has now rolled up for her to give me an explanation. “What did you do, Mom? You're all I have left. I need an explanation.“

The window finally rolls down again, and her eyes are sad as she looks at me. “Grow up, Elira. You have the power to create a new family.“

I didn't even realise the guards have all loaded into the vans until the first engine roars and the other two answer, all three cars pulling out of my driveway.

“Mom!“ I cry. “Mom, please come back.“

I run after the cars, trying to catch my mother until they cross the gate and accelerate. My legs give way and I collapse to the floor, tears sprinting down my face faster than my legs did when they gave chase.

Pain eats at my insides. The Alpha rarely arrests people, and when he does, everyone knows it has to be a grave offense, deserving only of a punishment that's equally grave.

I pick myself off the floor. I need answers. I won't sit back and let them take away all the family I have left.

The drive to the Alpha's manor is fast and rough, but I finally get there, putting my car into park and hurrying into the mansion.

“Where do you think you are going?“ A guard asks, blocking my path as I approach the gate.

“Inside. I was asked to come here if I wanted any answers.“

He looks me up and down, his eyes hard and accessing. “This is the Alpha's manor. I'd need more information than that if you want to get inside here.“

Anger swirls inside of me. “My mother was arrested and brought here. Let me in or I'd find a way myself.“

His eyes soften, reminding me of the guard from earlier. He rolls the gate open and ushers me in. “They're in the grand hall right now. Do you know where that is?“

I nod once and run in that direction. Father and I used to come here often when I was a child, so I am familiar with the Alpha's manor far more than I should be.

I make it to the hall just in time to catch a glimpse of Alpha Kael's incredible body as he saunters into the room, heading for the huge gold seat that marks his position in this room.

The crowd of elders, made up of the pack’s gammas and deltas, all rise up to greet him before they take their seats again.

As Alpha Kael sits on his throne, his eyes bounce from my mother who's on her knees and held by chains in the center of the room, to mine.

I see anger as it flickers through his gaze, but I hold it regardless. I will not bow to the man who's treating my mother like nothing but a slave after the huge sacrifice my father made for his family.

“Lisa Vanz of the Vanz Beta household,” the head gamma of the pack, Gamma Leo, speaks. “You are accused of treason against Rage-Claw pack and your Alpha, Kael Storm.“

My breath catches in my throat. Treason? What treason? Mom would never.

I speak up before I even think my actions through. “No! That's not possible. She will never do something like that.“

I feel Alpha Kael’s eyes on me, burning a hole through my skull, but I can't stop myself.

“Do you know what you're getting yourself into, young woman?“ Gamma Leo asks.

“My mother spends her entire time at home. How could she have committed treason?“ I volley. “What treason did she commit? Tell me.“

A black bag is raised into the air, the smell of wolfsbane mixed with something more pungent, something I can't identify, wafts through the air. We all dissolve into a fit of coughs. All of us except Alpha Kael and my mother.

The bag is tucked away. “Do you see that she is immune to the poison she created? Do you recognize this bag?“ Gamma Leo asks.

Against my better judgement, I nod. I do recognize that bag. It is Mom's favorite. The one she said she will trade to have her mate back if it were possible.

“You killed my mate, Kael. Did you not think I was going to do something about it?“

Mom's voice causes me to drop to the floor in a heap, tears rolling down my face. She really did it. She tried to kill the Alpha.

I look up at Alpha Kael, my eyes imploring him to have mercy. But he doesn't. With his cold eyes locked on mine, he gives a verdict.

“Lisa Vanz will be burned at the pyre tonight under the full moon. And so will the Vanz home. The Vanz family, except the honored Beta, is declared an enemy of Rage-Claw and will all be executed.“

“You can't do this,” I beg. “Please, Alpha.“

“You will watch her burn, and then, you will know what it really feels like to lose something valuable.”