Chapter 4

CALLA

He froze, eyes studying me in disbelief. We stayed silent for  a moment until he chuckled. 

“You’re bluffing,” 

The door opened again, this time, alpha Garrick walked in with the same man. He stopped mid-way, staring at his son. 

“I see you’ve met the addition to our little family,” alpha Garrick said. He continued, walked through our middle and closed the windows. “Lucan, meet Calla. Calla, Lucan…my son and next alpha of the Fangspire pack,” 

Lucan did nothing but glare. I couldn’t understand why he was so angry, but it was there, the anger, written boldly in his eyes. 

“So they meant it?” He asked his father. “The threat was real,”

“It was either this or the title. I can’t be the alpha without a Luna. And you haven’t found your…mate,” Garrick hesitated to say the words, eyes flicking to me and back. “The council was serious about stripping the title from our family if this condition wasn’t fulfilled. We both know how much they hate me,” he muttered. 

Silence returned to the room, like everyone was thinking of what next to do. A loud bang in the sky startled me,and my head flipped towards the direction where the lightning struck outside. 

“Everyone stay indoors until further notice,” 

“What’s happening?” Lucan asked, following his father behind. I didn’t hear the rest of their conversation, but it sounded dangerous and serious. They left me alone in the room, where I sank into the couch, sinking everything in one after the other. 

I waited for their return, paced for a while, sat, lay down, fought sleep off, yet no one walked through the door again. The stress from the day finally got to me, and drowned myself in the duvet, where sleep snatched me away from reality. 

*********

The early hours of the following day felt as heavy yet empty as the last hours of the previous. After waiting for hours in the room, the lock hatch finally clicked. Two ladies walked in carrying a set of clothes. 

“Morning to you, Luna Calla. Alpha Garrick is absent, so you’ll be presiding over the meeting this morning along side Lucan,” 

“A meeting? I’m…I’m here to train. That’s why I was assigned here,” 

“Train?” One of the women questioned with a look of concern. “Did you say you were assigned?”

I inhaled, holding up my head as though I found courage,“Is that a bad thing?”

“Yes. I mean…no,” she answered, seemingly confused. 

“Assignees are usually amateurs of other packs. Which means you are not the Luna we were promised. How then did this happen?” The Second Lady dropped the clothes on the chair, looking around for answers. 

It was in that moment that I recalled Garricks words. As an assignee, my true identity should be hidden. I shouldn’t tell anyone that I was assigned. But the mistake has already been made. 

Two hard knocks on the door pulled our attention away from each other to the door post where Lucan stood with hands crossed over his chest. 

“I’ll take it from here. Excuse us,” he ordered them. 

Without hesitation, they bowed and left. 

“Do you intend dressing me?” 

“If that’s what will clip your lips together,” he replied, closing the gap between us with careful, slow strides. “Didn’t my father tell you not to mention you were assigned to our pack?”

“He did, but I…”

“A mistake. Yes,” he cut in. The clothes were lifted by him, scanned thoroughly before he tossed them to me. “Get dressed. You’re the Luna, not a student. We have a meeting to attend. Since my father isn’t back, you’ll stand in for him,” 

“Can’t the beta do that? Rowan, yeah? That’s why he’s the beta,” I argued. 

“Lesson one….” Lucan said as he walked much closer. I could feel his breath against my face, fresher and heavier this time. My heart skipped a beat as I looked into his eyes, but I looked away immediately. “Rowan is the beta. You’re the Luna. Who holds higher power?” 

I swallowed, then answered. “The Luna,” 

“Who is?”

“Me,” I said. 

His grin was wide and noticeable even if I wasn’t staring at him. 

“That’s an A. Well done, Calla. You just aced your first test. Now get dressed for the meeting. Maybe you haven’t heard-the council hates my father. Which means they hate anything that represents him. So put on your shining armor, Luna Calla. We’re about to walk into a battle zone,” he said with a smile plastered on his face. 

Part of his words sounded sarcastic, a few others felt real. Either way, this meeting was inevitable. 

***********

Heavy clothes, light jewelries and a light make up that highlighted my facial features. Everything balanced properly on me as I walked towards the hall. 

A door behind me opened, and someone yelled my name. 

“Calla?” 

I turned only to find Lucien and Beatrice. Lucien was the one who called. He scoffed, almost hiding the shock on his face. 

“Where are you headed with that ridiculous make up?” 

“You missed training this morning,” Beatrice chirped in. “Have you begun sleeping your way through again with the workers?” 

“Ohh…Calla,” Lucien drawled. As he stepped out to touch me, two omegas who were assigned to me hurried into the scene.

“Luna Calla, Lucan is waiting,” one bowed. 

Lucien halted, and his shock stirred a smile on my face. 

“Luna?” He questioned mockingly. 

“Are you all blind? That’s a student assignee…she’s no Luna. She was assigned to….”

I coughed, interrupting Beatrice who was about to create a rumor. 

“Levi,” I called one of the omega by his name. “Walk me to the hall. And Ashton,” I turned to the second. “Bring them along,” 

The hall was wide and bright, filled with murmurs that stopped the moment Lucan and I walked in. He led me to the front, his hand brushing mine as he pulled out a chair…Alpha Garrick’s chair. I hesitated, but his look said sit. So I did. He took his seat beside me.

Drinks were served first. My eyes caught movement, Lucien and Beatrice. They were among the servers. I smiled, leaning in. 

Lucien’s jaw tightened when he saw me sitting there. He stopped before me, holding the wine jug.

“This is your first test,” I said softly. “If a drop touches my gown, you fail. If you as much move silly, you’ll be sent back to Ashgrove pack,” I threatened.

He scoffed, but his hands shook slightly as he poured. Not a single drop fell. “Perfect,” I said with a faint smile.

Beatrice served the next row, keeping her eyes low. The room stayed quiet as everyone waited for the last elder to arrive. But instead, a boy walked in, clutching a small box wrapped in dark silk.

He bowed before me. “A gift for Alpha Garrick,” he said. “But since you sit in his place, Luna, you must open it.”

“Where’s Elder Saturn?” Lucan asked. 

The boy shook his head, “I was only asked to deliver this to Alpha Garrick,” 

Lucan’s eyes narrowed. Still, I lifted the lid.

A foul, rotten stench burst out, choking the air. I screamed, pushing the box away. Something wet and red glistened inside—it looked like flesh.

Before I could move, the boy pulled a knife from his sleeve and charged at me.

Lucan moved faster. His back caught the blade meant for my chest and his grunt tore through me as we collapsed on the floor. 

*********