I wandered through the back streets away from the multitude of boutiques that lined the main roads of the pack’s village. Despite having been ordered to find something nice to wear while visiting packs were present I couldn’t bring myself to enter any of the chic window shops that lined the market area of the village. So instead, I settled for schlepping flowers to the festival grounds while doing my best to stay out of sight. As I was carrying my third basket laden with lilies, daisies, and tulips Darrien caught up to me.
“Em,” he called. I did my best to pretend I hadn’t heard and kept walking toward the garland makers' booth. I heard him jog to catch up with me and felt his grip on my shoulders. I stopped walking, still, I refused to look at my adoptive brother.
“Emilia, please, we need to talk.” He stated as he tried to take the basket from me.
“I have nothing to say, Darrien,” I replied. I refused to relinquish my grasp on the handles. “I’m working.”
“Yeah, I can see that; and Willow found me on the training grounds to tell me she’d ordered you to buy something decent to wear while the pack has guests.” Darrien finally wrested the basket from my clutch, he balanced it on one of his shoulders. “Emi, she said if you don’t then I won’t be able to finish my training as a warrior.”
My hands balled into fists, that devil woman. She knew the reason Darrien saved as much of his wages as possible was because he was training to be a warrior. The warrior exam was expensive, as were the items the warriors needed to take the exam. Becoming a warrior was his best chance at moving up in the pack and his only hope of creating a better life for his parents. Otherwise, he would have simply made his life as comfortable as possible, much like all the others in our position. It was notoriously difficult and expensive to move up within the pack, the reason why only the most determined and frugal were able to succeed.
“Please Emi, I can’t go back until I present you to her with at least a week’s worth of clothes and a dress for the festival.” My eyes widened at his final statement. That much was going to cost at least two weeks wages, and I’d be lucky if it only cost me that much.
“That’s completely unreasonable! How can she order me to spend that much money?” I all but wailed. I felt near hysteria at the threat looming over me.
“We represent the pack Emi, you know that. If you’re running around in rags it makes it look like we don’t manage our resources and abuse those in a lower class. It’ll create conflict for the Alpha.” Darrien sighed. “I’ll help you deliver these and then we can go. I’ll even help you pay for it.”
“No, you won’t,” I responded as I fell into step with him. “Your exam is more important than my problems. I will stay another month if I have to and work here until I have enough to get out.”
“Em-“ he began. I cut him off with a motion of my hand. We arrived at the garland booth and dropped off the basket. I collected the needed signature before departing, sans basket. I followed Darrien to a small boutique tucked into the corner of the village center square. I glanced at the sign that hung above the door from an 1800s-style bracket. It read Lykfos. I froze, I could feel the blood drain from my face. There was no way I could afford a week’s worth of clothing from a place like this. I stopped a few feet from the door, Darrien paused when he sensed I was no longer following him.
“Let’s go somewhere cheaper,” I said softly when he looked back at me over his shoulder. Darrien shook his head in response, opened the door, and gestured for me to go inside. I can work extra to make up for it. I’ve been working for this pack since I was four years old, what’s another month or two….. I trudged over to the shop entrance and muttered, “fine, you win.”
I stepped into the eclectic shop, Darrien on my heels. I glanced around nervously, everything was so tidy and expensive looking. I was afraid to touch anything due to my abysmal state. I settled for allowing my eyes to rake over the items on display. There were multitudes of trendy items for sale, all well out of my price range.
“Darrien!” A voice called, I turned my attention to the shop owner, Ava. A grin graced Darrien’s features as he turned to greet the petite woman. “You came after all, and you even managed to convince your sister!”
“As promised,” Darrien replied, his eyes sparkled as he spoke to Ava. She approached him coyly, leaning into his personal space as they spoke. It was plain to see the two were smitten with the way he angled his shoulders to protectively hover over the small she-wolf. “Let’s see you work your magic.”
Ava laughed lightly and offered a wink before sauntering off. I watched Darrien, my eyebrow lifted inquisitively. I crossed my arms as he turned to face me, “and how long has this been going on?”
“Just a few weeks,” He replied sheepishly as he ran his hand through his shaggy hair. “Look Emi, Ava was visiting the training grounds and overheard what Willow said to me. She says they have some stuff from last season that she could give you at a discount.”
“That’s right,” Ava called, toting armfuls of clothes from the rear storage room. “These are all from last season, so I can’t sell them full price anyways. Now, Darrien, my father said to meet him back at the training grounds; Emilia and I will be fine here.”
Darrien nodded and leaned over to offer Ava a small peck on the cheek before he turned to ruffle my hair. “I’ll be off then, see you later Em.”
Disgruntled I brushed my now messy auburn hair from my face. I could feel myself glowering at my adoptive brother. I hardly believed he would dare leave me with Ava, to try on clothes no less. I knew I would have to steel my resolve in order to not walk out of the shop with everything she would try to persuade me to buy. He must have sensed my displeasure with the arrangement. Darrien paused before pulling the door open and softly added, “Take care of her for me Ava.”
“Of course!” She replied brightly, set the plethora of clothes down, and shooed Darrien out the door with a sweet smile. The jingle of the shop’s bell resonated through the space as the door closed behind Darrien, sealing my fate. Once my brother was gone she turned back to me, “Let’s get started.”
I swallowed thickly, unable to shake the feeling that I was in the same position as a fly caught in a spider’s web. “Sure, but Ava-“I was cut off with a wave of her manicured hand. “I’m doing this for myself as much as I am for Darrien. I know we’ve never really talked in the past, but I promise I’m not going to try and swindle you out of your wages.”I nodded hesitantly, “What do you mean, exactly?”She had been sorting the items into stacks of tops, bottoms, lingerie sets, and evening wear; but paused when I asked about her intentions. With a wistful sigh, she turned back to me, “Darrien is strong and he’s a great guy, but my family won’t let us be together unless he passes the warrior exam and begins his official training. Here, try this on first.”I took the clothes she offered; a simple black turtleneck with dark wash jeans and a black lacy underwear set. I opened my mouth to protest. The jeans and turtleneck I might do, but new undergarments were out of the question as far as m
“There’s no way,” I retorted, “It was over a thousand dollars when you first rang everything out.” Ava grinned at me cheekily, “It’s my shop. Besides, you can’t honestly tell me you’ll be back in three months to use your birthday discount.” “Well, I- I mean, well- th-that is- I” My mouth snapped shut when I felt my words begin to catch in my chest as I became more flustered. Ava smiled kindly, the warmth of her smile made her hazel eyes sparkle. “Exactly,” she said softly, “truthfully Emilia, it’s no secret that you’re planning to leave when the pack recognizes you as nineteen, and I don’t blame you. I couldn’t imagine having to live among those who weren’t my own kind. Let me do this, please?” “Okay,” I consented. I pulled out my pack ID and tapped it on the reader. Relief that I was only losing a week’s wages allowed the tension in my shoulders to dissipate. A small ding from the register let me know the transaction had gone through. “Why don’t you go change into something and
The rest of the week passed in a blur. I did notice a few new faces among the streets and within the dining hall’s kitchen, but nothing substantial until three days before the equinox. It began that morning while in the kitchen. I overheard an argument between Willow and some unknown male.“This is my kitchen!” Willow growled, “and I will not serve undercooked food. I don’t care how the lord prefers it, the lowest I will cook it is rare.”“This is simply unacceptable; you knew we were coming.” The man replied, “Alpha Lucas brought his own blood slaves, as your pack requested. Out of courtesy, he is making a point to join your meals.”“So you want me to slap a completely raw steak onto a serving platter and give it to him?” Willow challenged, her hands balled in fists on her hips, and her lithe frame looked ready to pounce at the slightest provocation.The man sighed and shook his head, loose honey-blond curls bounced around his face as he did so. “Will you at least have one of your co
I had just finished the arrangement of tulips and lilies for the next garland when he found me. It was the cheerful tune he hummed that pulled my attention away from my task. I glanced up to see a newly familiar face with a sweet smile that revealed his elongated canines, just as it had this morning. He commented pleasantly, “There you are! I’ve been searching for you since that incident at breakfast, I never imagined they would squirrel you away out here.” “I don’t know what you mean.” I replied respectfully, “I’ve been assisting with the flower arrangements for the equinox since preparations began.” “Oh?” He inquired, an eyebrow arched gracefully to show his disbelief. I was thankful when he didn’t press the issue, instead, he informed me I was needed for the noon meal. “I apologize, sir-“ “Eskal,” he corrected. I paused cautiously before I continued, “I apologize Eskal, however, Willow has instructed me to assist here until she calls for me.” The smile Eskal was sporting vani
“Perhaps not,” Eskal stated as he snatched the dish from me before it clattered to the floor and ruined the meal. “You should train your staff better mutt.” He sneered at me from where I sat on the ground, dazed from the disgust at what I’d poured into a mug to be consumed. Vampires a second realization hit me. Vampires were the only beings besides demons to regularly consume blood in any form. My confusion grew at the realization. Vampires had a tenuous relationship with werewolves at best. It must be about the war with the band of demons on the pack’s border. It was the only reason vampires would be allowed to enter pack lands, which meant the negotiations were over an alliance to help rid the pack of the band. No one in the pack spoke openly about the matter. I knew the situation had worsened by the longer hours Darrien spent training, as well as the frequent injuries he came home with. I took a deep breath to regain my composure and carefully placed my feet under myself once mor
The night of the equinox had finally arrived. The air hummed with excitement from the wolves as they dashed about in their finery. I was thankful for the simplicity of the gown Ava had practically given me as well as the comfort of the lace block heels since I would remain on kitchen duty throughout the night. Willow had apologized to me, though we both knew I would have worked the festival regardless. Equinox, Solstice, and other formal events paid triple the normal hourly rate for those who had to work the events. I slipped on my designated outfit for the night, a slight shiver ran through me at the thought of having my neck bare around Eskal, the other vampire, and whatever Alpha Lucas was. I glanced in the mirror of the Lykfos changing room, Ava had offered to allow me to change there since it was closer to the dining hall than the house. She had also helped me tastefully apply the makeup she claimed was a standard birthday gift from the boutique and curled my hair so it hung in
A sudden hush fell over the grounds until Alpha Ber rose to his feet. The calm tenor in his voice kept order as he commanded, “Gather the women and children. Place them within the pack house where they’ll be safe. Warriors attend to your stations, we are being attacked.” I rose to my feet in order to make my way to the pack house with the others. The pack house was fortified to withstand most attacks and keep the most vulnerable pack members safe from harm while the warriors fended them off. I looked around for Eskal and noticed he’d made his way to Alpha Lucas’ side, they seemed to be having a heated argument before Eskal stomped off in a huff. I jumped when I felt someone grab my wrist. I turned to find myself being pulled toward the pack house by one of the men I’d previously seen with Alpha Lucas. This must be his second in command, I concluded. While the leaders would fight at the front lines with the warriors, the betas are often charged with defending the pack house during ti
Footsteps echoed in the sparse chamber, punctuated by a steady beep. The air held a chill, like that of a hospital. The blankets were thin and coarse and the bed no better than the floor I’d spent the last fifteen years on. I don’t know which of these had roused me, or if it had been a combination of the unpleasant sensations. I allowed consciousness to creep back into my body; I didn’t move or even open my eyes for fear of what would greet me when I did. “She’s waking up,” I heard a voice say but refused to acknowledge the statement. I heard bustling footsteps as things were moved and rearranged. I felt as though I was coming up for air from a deep plunge when everything hit me at once. I groaned utterly surrounded by strangers. My fingers dug themselves into my hair. and grabbed my head. My body curled in on itself as shudders wracked my frame. I gasped for air. My chest felt tight. I forced my eyes open. I was “Administering .02 of Nembutal.” A voice said from beside me. Ice rush