01

Elara’s pov

If my father thought he could betray me after everything I had done for him. For this pack? Then he had another thing coming.

The war room burst open and all eyes snapped to me. Whispers engulfed the room but I wasn’t here for fragile egos. 

I was here for him. 

Standing tall, broad, dark haired with eyes like frozen thunder. Cheekbones and a jaw carved by the Goddess herself. I was his splitting image, Alpha Zenford. My father.

“What are you doing here!?” He questioned, a command in his tone but I held his interest long enough to keep the whispers from the elders who surrounded him afloat.

“Is this normal?”

“Is a woman supposed to see a kingdom’s war room?”

The elders all conversed but I was only here for one thing and one thing alone.

Slowly I walked to the center of the room, holding everyone’s gaze as I spoke with a loud and clear voice.

“I am the firstborn of Alpha Zenford,  rightful heir to the Bloodrage pack.”

My father growled dangerously “Elara, don’t you dare” his voice trailed in warning and for the first time I locked eyes with him but it was too late.

“First female Alpha in over a century and I challenge my step brother for the throne!” I finished and the court thrashed into chaos. 

I caught the sly devil — Timothy, my step brother smile creepily and I frowned instantly.

The council dragged my father for an explanation but he had risen from his seat completely. His back towards the council as his hand disappeared, clenching his jaw tightly while the other rested firmly on his thick waist.

Just when I thought the room would split in two, my father turned around swiftly. His eyes were dark with rage.

“Silence!” He commanded and the room went still.

“Get out. Now,” he finished and without waiting for another order, the council members stood on their feet and walked out. I had done what I came here for, as the last person was about to leave I tried to join…

“Elara!” My father’s voice instantly had me rooted to the spot.

He waited for the soft click of the door before he moved from his throne and grabbed me by the arm. His fingers bit into my skin and I tried not to wince in pain.

“You ungrateful brat!” He spat against my face but I was not afraid of him.

“Did you really think you could discard me just because I am a female? Hide my Alpha lineage?” I questioned and he scoffed.

Anger swirled freely in my belly “I am your daughter and frankly a much better suit as your heir than Timothy and you know it,” I challenged. 

He pushed me out of his hold and I let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding before slowly hearing someone clap in the background. 

My brows furrowed in anger.

“You just don’t know when to stop. You’ve always been this irresponsible brat! Everything has to go your way,” he finished and I growled.

What did this moron know about me wanting things to go my way? 

My mother died and I’ve never had a single thing go my way. Was there any princess who would willingly join her father’s army to try to win his love? To prove something to him…to get him to look at her!?

Maybe if father let us duel, he could see how much irresponsibility I had left.

“You’re one to talk, Timothy…or should I say princess Timothy?” I mockingly bowed and Timothy’s brows creased for a minute. His eyes showed his true nature; a fucking snake.

Suddenly Timothy crossed his legs and scoffed “Like anybody would want you, a mere shell of a woman to be a what? Queen? Do you even remember how to be a woman or is that as foreign as the rest of your brain cells?”

I seethed in anger “ You don’t even know the way to your room if two hundred guards didn’t “guard” you. That sword on your hip? Useless, just like you,” I spoke and he mockingly gasped.

“But you suddenly know how to be king? Why? Because you fought in some wars nobody invited you to?” He countered and I growled even more fiercely, my legs already moving towards him.

I’d show him what wars I was invited to.

“Enough!” My father thundered and I stopped in my tracks.

“You disgust me, Elara” he suddenly said and my stomach dropped.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” He asked and looked at me. The anger slowly giving way to something else.

What I had done? 

How many more times did I have to prove myself to him?

“Father—“

“Save it!” His tone venomous. Timothy and I shared a look and strangely something felt weird.

The war maps on the table rustled and it clicked. If father was going to crown him heir apparent, it wouldn’t be in the war room…right?

“You don’t think. You don’t take responsibility for your actions and to be honest, I completely agree with Timothy. You need a leash,” father said and it seemed like I had swallowed a fly.

A leash? My eyes crossed to Timothy and his smile had turned somewhat demonic.

My stomach knotted. Something was wrong.

“Varkas will be here by morning,” my father announced and I frowned.

Why would Varkas, a well known brutal criminal and rival of our pack show up here? 

“You are getting engaged,” he finished and my eyes widened in disbelief.

“W—what!?” My voice cracked.

“Surprise!!” Timothy cackled in excitement and that’s when everything clicked.

It had been a trap. Timothy knew I would contest for the throne. I looked at where Timothy was sitting and a small gasp left my lips.

 Father had already made him his heir!

“Finally pieced it together huh?” He snickered but panic flooded my chest. I was his first born blood, I couldn’t be that worthless.

“Father…Varkas is a criminal” I complained but my father didn’t react. 

“His last wife went missing, please” I pleaded but father remained stoic.

I gasped in horror. He already knew about it! He knew!

“I won’t!” I stated and this time, he looked me in the eyes.

“You have a chance to actually make us proud. Bloodrage pack would be at the top. You will.” he commanded.

I shook my head, unbelieving that my father would sell me for some lands and coins!

“No” I said again but my father laughed dryly.

“It’s for the best,” He coldly said and Timothy snickered.

My knees were weak, the betrayal stabbed at my heart fiercely. My own father?

“Only the strong can control the strong and since you’re so eager…”

What the hell did that even mean!?

“Prepare yourself,” he finished and my vision blurred, rage and betrayal too big to contain.

“Well…what are you waiting for?” Timothy echoed but I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to.

Five whole years of sacrifice and mindless endangerment and this was my reward!?

“Mother would have never let you do this,” I said, my voice shredding in bitterness.

A certain coldness seeped into the room.

“She would turn in her grave and spit on you!” I hissed. 

“You never cared when I bled for this pack and fought your wars and now you throw me to the wolves while you crown a coward!?” I could barely breathe through the fury.

“And what, pray tell…” he began, his nose flaring “would mother say… if she found out that you killed her?”  He asked in a deathly calmness.

My body went rigid instantly.

“Infact, why don’t we tell everyone in the kingdom, how you killed your own mother!” He roared and I flinched.

“You want to talk about rolling in the grave?” He scoffed.

“My rage rises everytime I see you. To know that my own child killed the love of my life! That I chose binding your wolf instead as punishment for your crime” rage radiated off of him but my body refused to remember that treacherous night. 

I shook my head, tears flying out of my eyes. Flashes of my mother falling lifeless. A cup shattering to pieces past my eyes.

“I…I didn’t,” I whispered but how could I defend myself when I didn’t even remember what happened?

“You didn’t what?!” He countered. 

“You should be grateful for everything I’ve done for you. I saved you from the gallows! Your brother and I finally found the best way to exercise your usefulness and Instead you embarass me in front of my court? fight against your brother, my heir apparent and have the audacity to even contest?!” He rose from his seat but didn’t move.

“You will marry Varkas tomorrow” he growled. “Now get out of my sight this instant… before I do something that your mother would really roll in her grave for,” The room spun as I raced, tears breaking free in torrents.

My heart and mind were in shambles as I ran. My hand casually touched the moon emblem necklace around my neck, a soft warmth touched my fingertips and my eyes watered instantly.

“Mother…” my throat clogged in a whisper. I got to my room, my soul was weak and tired, the moon shone brightly on my face turning my tears silver against its light. 

I didn’t hear her until it was too late. Hands grabbed my wrists and dragged me to a corner of my room. Panic flooded my chest as I nearly struck back until moonlight caught her face.

“Ana?!” My mothers old handmaiden, banished from servitude after my mothers death.

“What are you—“

“There’s no time Elara! You have to get out of here,” she whispered fiercely and although I completely agreed with what she was saying but it was suicidal. I wouldn’t make it paste the gates.

“Tomorrow on your wedding day, I will get you a forged pass into the lupinemore all boys school,” she said and my brows shot up in shock.

“Lupinemore…” a school so brutal for its rigorous training, it was said that only the one percent of the one percent made it but it was for Alpha boys.

“That’s the only place they can’t find you,” she whispered and against the moonlight’s shadow, I saw her eyes glaze.

“It won’t work,” I whispered back and chewed my bottom lip. 

“For one, I am not a boy and two, they will know,” I said, already feeling my stomach churn as I touched my luscious dark hair.

“I’ll fix that but you must not be here tomorrow,” she said and I opened my mouth to argue but she placed a fragile hand on my lips to silence me.

“Your mother would never have wanted this. I must repay her kindness, please,” she begged, her eyes held something that instantly brought silence. 

I didn’t know how she intended on doing it but if there was one thing I knew, this was treason.

“What about you?” I asked the moment she attempted to leave my room. She turned and gave me a smile but never said another word.

By midnight, someone slipped a pair of scissors underneath my door. 

I stared at the silver blades, cold like my fate.