Chapter 3

Three: You’ve Been Summoned

EIRA

~Three Weeks Later~

“Because she spread her legs for the king, doesn’t make her our queen or our Luna. It just makes her a cheap runt,” someone murmurs.

“I’m still struggling to wrap my head around it. How is that even possible?” Another responds.

A mocking laugh follows. “The king needs a capable Luna and Queen. Definitely not a weak Omega.”

I step into the kitchen and everyone goes automatically silent. As if they haven’t been talking about me.

Unfortunately, the whole pack house and the palace know I am King Cassian’s mate. And they have made it clear how unwanted and incapable I am.

Everywhere I go, their taunts follow. The mocking laughters. The menacing smiles. And the sting of the words they say.

I know most of them don’t like me, and it has something to do with the color of my hair. It’s white, different… nothing they’ve seen before.

From the stories I heard, my hair was dark when I was just a pup. But after my parents died, it began to change. They said none of my parents had white hair, and they didn’t know if I was a rescue pup.

I don’t look at any of them as I join the baking Omegas. This is my duty today.

“Oh my, whatever does the Luna want amongst us poor, weak, Omegas?” Sheila taunts in a high-pitched voice.

The Omegas in the kitchen laugh. They laugh so hard, some slap their hands against their thighs. I’m left speechless, humiliated, and embarrassed.

Quentin gives me a little wave from across the room. And I manage a watery smile back. He’s the only one I talk to now.

Where some had still talked to me, news of being the king's mate made them stop. Only Quentin remains.

I ignore them and dig my fingers into the dough. My hands work the dough until they tire out. But I don’t stop. I keep kneading, and kneading… and kneading.

If I can’t slam a fist into someone’s face, the dough is a better substitute.

My thoughts are interrupted when Adah barges into the kitchen. I stifle a groan, but my ears perk up. As usual, everyone goes silent.

“The king is back!” She announces, and my heart skips. “But he’s not alone.”

We wait for her to continue but she doesn’t. Murmurs quickly fill up the kitchen. My brows furrow.

Normally, an announcement is made before we have visitors. This is a great surprise, and very unusual.

“Who is he with, Adah?!” Someone yells. Adah gives a cheeky smile in return, but it quickly fades and she frowns.

“His majesty came back with Alpha Eric Orion, and his daughter Lysandra,” Adah whispers, like it’s a secret. A sacred news.

My mouth falls open. A series of gasps bounce across the walls. A cutlery clangs as it falls to the ground.

For the longest time Alpha Cassian and Alpha Eric have been at each other’s throats. The war extended to pack wolves. It became a rivalry between Ashbane Pack and Crescent Pack. The sudden relationship makes this unusual surprise more unusual.

“Do you know why?” Will asks.

I’m curious too. Why is Alpha Eric here… and why is he with Lysandra?

“Maybe she’s here to challenge for the Luna title,” someone answers.

The thought sticks in my head like a splinter.

Adah shrugs. “I’m not sure, but I heard of an alliance.”

“Alliance?” Everyone choruses. Eyes widen in shock, disbelief. Brows furrow in confusion. Lips pull down into frowns.

Meanwhile, my stomach rolls. I feel unsettled. There’s something wrong, something fishy, but I can’t put my finger on it. Fear, worry… they try to nag at the back of mind.

And I shove it away.

Conversations pick up quickly. Everyone is confused about the whole ordeal. Some run to the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alpha Eric and Lysandra. And soon, the whole kitchen is in an uproar, chores long forgotten.

I have never met Lysandra, but rumors had it that she has Alpha blood, a Luna by birth. There were stories of her winning pack fights. And there were rumors that spoke about how cunning she was. “Snake” was the term used to describe her.

But maybe it’s because we hate the Crescent Pack.

My head swims with thoughts, and at the same time it feels empty.

Suddenly, the door slams open.

“What is going on here?” Macy booms. Everyone scrambles to their positions. Adah goes to run but Macy grabs her by the shirt. I bite back my laughter.

Silence falls as we all get back to work.

Macy glares at all of us, then swivels to Adah. “Adah, here again with your gossip?”

She bows in submission. “I’m sorry.”

“All you do is gossip! Maybe the moon goddess should make you mute.”

“No!” Adah blurts with wide eyes. “It won’t happen again, Macy. I’m sorry.”

Macy's jaw tightens, and she pushes Adah out of the door. “Go do your duty, Omega.”

Adah scurries out. Like a wolf with her tail between her legs.

“The rest of you, get back to work!” She barks, and we knead harder, and chop faster.

Her eyes scan the kitchen and land on me.

“Eira Quinn!” She calls.

I bow. “Yes, Macy.”

“Get dressed,” she informs. “You’ve been summoned to the palace.”

I freeze.

Summoned?

Chills zing through my body. Something akin to excitement makes my body hum.

And my wolf… she purrs. She wants to see her mate.

***

My hair flows down my waist in long white curls with a bright blue clip in it. It matches my eyes. I hum a tune as I admire myself in the mirror.

While I walked with Macy back into my room, I overheard something about the elders also being present.

If this isn’t a ceremony for Cassian and I, I don't know what it’ll be. My smile is bright in the mirror, and I nod, satisfied with my appearance.

What if he changed his mind? My smile wavers at the thought, but again… I shove it into the back of mind.

Macy knocks and pushes the doors open. She scans my outfit blankly. No compliment, no nothing. But I wasn’t expecting it either.

“Let’s go,” she commands. And I nod, following her.

We exit the pack house, cross the yard and reach the palace. I notice the lack of ceremonial decorations, and the lack of music.

My smile shakes, but I hold it firmly. I should frown but I don’t. The giddiness is too much to be dampened.

Macy leads me to the palace courthouse, and as I stand behind the doors, I breathe.

Nervous jitters flood my tummy, dulling the excitement of earlier, only briefly. The chatters from behind it only heightens my nervousness.

My lungs expand on an exhale. When Macy gives me the nod… I push the large oak doors open.