CHAPTER FOUR

Raven's POV 

The next few weeks were filled with lessons and lectures. We were drilled on everything from Southern customs to Northern etiquette. Mr. Rake and Miss Freya made it very clear that we were to be invisible but perfect. We learned how to address Alphas from other packs, where we were allowed to walk, and most importantly, how to behave around the Northern staff.

“No picking fights,” Miss Freya had barked at us daily. “No being rude. You are on neutral ground for three days. If you embarrass the Inker Pack, you won’t have a home to come back to.”

The Peace Summit wasn't just a party. It was three days of intense pack discussions and treaties. But to keep everyone from snapping at each other’s throats, there were also feasts and games planned to help the leadership and staff from both sides actually get along.

Finally, the day arrived. I was sitting on the edge of my small cot, staring at the medium-sized bag I had packed. I didn’t have much to bring, so it had been easy. Diane, on the other hand, was having a total meltdown.

“It won’t close, Raven! It just won’t close!” Diane groaned, shoving a pile of sweaters into her bag with both hands.

“Stop stuffing the bag!” I laughed, watching her struggle. “We’re only going to be there for a few days. You won’t wear even half of those clothes.”

Diane huffed, wiping sweat from her lip. Her bag was bulging at the seams. She actually had some really nice things because her mother was a nurse in the pack’s infirmary. Nurses earned bonuses for their “excellent” work, which meant Diane had a bit more money for better fabrics. 

In the pack house, nobody was paid a salary per say. We just did our share for the pack and got a bed and food in return. The work we did was considered insignificant by the higher-ups. I couldn't help but see the irony in that because if we stopped working for one day, the whole pack house would fall apart in hours.

Diane had been kind enough to give me some of her older clothes over the years, so I at least had a few nice dresses for the Summit. She eventually gave up on the extra sweaters and finally managed to zip her bag shut.

“Ready?” she asked, breathless.

“Ready,” I said, hoisting my bag over my shoulder.

We walked to the main foyer where the rest of the chosen group was waiting. Of course, Owen was there, looking like he already owned the place. Off to the side, I saw Alpha Hilton, his Beta, Gary, and Larry. They were huddled together, discussing something in low, serious voices.

I looked at Gary for a second. His scent didn't hit me like a ton of bricks anymore. The grape and olive smell was still there, but the pull was gone, replaced by a dull ache. The rejection had done its job. I was about to take another step forward when my vision suddenly blurred.

Everything around me vanished.

I was standing in a dark, cold forest. In front of me was a massive wolf. It was a beautiful ash-brown color, its fur glossy but dusty. It looked like it was in pain. It let out a howl that sounded so sad it made my own soul hurt. I watched as its eyes flickered back and forth. One second they were a vibrant, beautiful blue, and the next, they turned a terrifying, muddy red.

Red was the color of a rogue. This wolf was in danger of going feral, losing its human side forever. I felt a strange, overwhelming urge to help it. I reached out a hand, wanting to comfort the beast, but the moment my fingers were about to touch its fur, I was slammed back into reality.

“...aven? Raven!”

I blinked rapidly, the bright lights of the foyer making my head swim. Diane was looking at me with a worried, expectant face.

“I’ve been calling your name for like a minute,” she said. “You looked totally lost in thought. Are you okay?”

“Did you see a wolf?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “An ash-brown one? Big?”

Diane looked at me like I had finally lost my mind. “A wolf? In the foyer? Raven, the only wolves here are the ones in human form. You need to get some sleep on the bus.”

Before I could explain, Miss Freya clapped her hands sharply. “Head out! Everyone to the buses! Move it!”

We filed out of the gates, our group talking excitedly like we were going on a school field trip. It was unbelievable. Three long buses were waiting for us outside. We loaded our bags and our food rations and climbed inside. I headed straight for the very back, with Diane following closely behind me.

The journey to the neutral territory was going to take two days. The buses were big and surprisingly comfortable, with enough space for each of us to stretch out and sleep.

As we drove, I watched the Southern landscape roll by. We passed through thick forests and small human settlements where people stopped to wave at the pack buses. By the middle of the first day, the scenery began to change. The lush green of the South started to fade into rocky plains and thinner trees. It was beautiful, but kind of empty. I spent most of the time just staring out the window. 

We arrived at the neutral territory on the evening of the second day. My jaw nearly dropped. In the middle of a vast, misty valley sat a gigantic stone building that looked more like a castle. It looked really old but sturdy. There were smaller structures scattered around it, all built with the same grey stone.

We got off the bus, shivering in the cooler air. Alpha Hilton and the other leaders immediately walked toward the main entrance, probably headed for the VIP suites. The rest of us “peasants” were told to stay put.

“Follow me,” Miss Freya commanded. She led us to a side entrance near the back of the complex. She stopped and turned to us, her face stern. “Do not forget your training. Do not speak unless spoken to. Do not embarrass our Alpha. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Miss Freya,” we all droned in unison.

She led us inside to a wing on the second floor. It was clean and simple, with long hallways and many heavy wooden doors.

“Pair up as you like,” she said. “Four to a room. Get settled, freshen up, because you all stink like crazy and go to sleep. The pack leaders are meeting the Kings for a meet and greet tonight, but that has nothing to do with you. The real meetings start tomorrow morning.”

My wolf, Eva, who usually stayed quiet and lazy unless she wanted something, suddenly perked up. Pick the window bed, she demanded.

I huffed at her. Since when do you care about where we sleep? She didn't answer, she just paced in my mind until I did what she wanted. I dropped my bag on the bed by the window and looked at my roommates. There was Diane, a girl named Sheila, and... Dan.

Dan was a male Omega. He was a sweet guy, but he looked a bit out of place. We all raised an eyebrow at him.

“I know, I know,” Dan said, smiling sheepishly as he moved toward the fourth bed. “But you know how the other guys are. They’ve been picking on me the whole bus ride. I’d rather sleep in a room with you girls where I won't get shoved off the bed in the middle of the night.”

“Fair enough,” I said. I pulled out my towel and signaled to Diane. “Let’s go find the showers.”

It took us a while seeing as we got lost twice in the winding hallways but we eventually found the communal showers. The water was hot and felt amazing on my skin, washing away two days of bus dust. By the time we got back to the room, I felt like a new person.

I sat down on my bed, pulling the covers up. Unconsciously, I looked out the window. The moon was high and bright, casting a bright glow over the valley. The forest at the edge of the neutral grounds looked dark and mysterious.

I jolted, my heart skipping a beat.

There, at the very edge of the tree line, was a wolf. It was huge, its fur an unmistakable ash-brown color. It looked magnificent in the moonlight, standing perfectly still as it stared toward the building.

I blinked hard and rubbed my eyes. What are the chances? I thought. 

I looked back out the window a second later, but the spot was empty. There was nothing but darkness and swaying trees.

“It was probably nothing,” I whispered to myself, lying back down.