4. First Impressions

RIVEN'S POV

I watched as the blood drained from his face as the realization of who I was hit him.

Valoric looked so amused and that was a rare sight to see. The man barely cracked a smile on good days, but watching this future Alpha stumble over himself was apparently entertainment enough.

"I-I didn't realize your highness. Forgive my ignorance." He said stuttering, I couldn't lie it was a funny sight to see.

I turned away from the door back to my seat, noting how clean everywhere looked. The guest quarters were immaculate - polished wooden furniture gleaming under the natural light streaming through tall windows, fresh flowers arranged in crystal vases, even the air smelled of lavender and something distinctly expensive. They had made effort in the decorations.

"Valoric let him in," I said, watching Caden enter with less grace than I've seen in our serving hands.

I couldn't care less about this pointless ceremony but my mother begged me to be here, saying I needed to start being more known as my step brother was slowly rising to become the council's favorite after all their failed attempts in making me care about pack politics.

The throne was mine by right, but politics required participation I had no interest in giving.

"Thank you my prince," he said bowing slightly while I gestured for him to sit in the plush armchair across from me.

"I hope you can forgive this mistake and we can move past it and forge an easy path of friendship." He said looking at me with hope in his eyes.

It wasn't unnatural for Pack Alphas to try and curry favor but I could feel his arrogance. He was offering me a friendship alliance when the ceremony hasn't even happened and after such a big blunder.

Truly an airhead, was this the future of Grimwell Pack?

I ignored him, and questioned instead, "What are your plans about the rogues trying to expand into your lands?"

He looked taken aback that I was questioning him on serious matters, like he expected this to be some social call where we'd discuss the weather.

He straightened his back, and spoke "Well, Alpha Bastian has already made plans to send 20 troops out to subdue them, they are out as we speak. He said they would think we were unprepared due to the celebrations but they would find out they are wrong. Smart isn't it?" His eyes gleamed for my recognition.

I couldn't help but feel a little bit of distaste. He was acting like he came up with the idea when he clearly told me who owned it. No wonder people called him an incoming puppet.

Alpha Bastian had no opposition if this child was going to be Alpha.

"It is smart but too bad it wasn't your idea. Would you leave all the strategic planning to Bastian in the future too?" I said simply.

I didn't have anything against him but since I've been dragged out here, I wouldn't mind enlightening him a bit. The crown came with responsibilities, and if this fool was going to lead a pack, he needed to understand what actual leadership looked like. Though I doubted he had the capacity to learn.

But then his nose flared, as he looked angry? At my suggestion.

The audacity of this child. Here I was, offering him free advice that most would pay kingdoms for, and he had the nerve to get offended? I'd seen seasoned generals hang on my every word, and this puppy thought he could bristle at me?

Pity.

Well that's what I get for showing brainless idiots the truth.

"I have plans. My own plans, I just need to be Alpha." He gritted his teeth and I couldn't help but be amused at his childish tantrum.

"I'm sure you do." I said simply, there was no need to ruffle his feathers more, he'd have to learn it the hard way.

I see his features relax, and I know in his little brain of his he thought he just gave a diplomatic reply.

Still a fool.

I was getting awfully tired of this conversation and I just wanted him gone when I heard a knock yet again.

This was getting irritating. How many interruptions could one afternoon hold? I'd come here expecting tedium, but this was beyond even my low expectations.

Valoric goes to the door yet again and maybe this time around I would be mistaken for a woodland creature. Grimwell Pack sure had its humor.

A servant girl walked in, her head bowed like she was afraid to look up even though her lower face was covered with a white cloth acting as a mask. She moved with quiet efficiency, setting down a silver tray laden with refreshments on the low table between us. She felt familiar and smelled good. Too good for someone I knew would have been sweating all day scrubbing floors.

Something about her presence made the air in the room shift, like a current of electricity had just walked in. I'd been around countless servants, nobles, warriors - none of them had ever affected me like this. What was it about this girl?

I wanted to see her face, the need became so high and desperate that my eyes followed her every move. This was unusual for me. I didn't pay attention to servants, didn't care about anyone really, but something about her pulled at me in a way I'd never experienced.

She set down food before me and finally I felt her breath seize… she was staring unabashedly at me like I froze her in the spot and like it was just us two in the room.

The moment our eyes met, something primal stirred in my chest. Recognition. Need. Something I'd never felt before. It was like every instinct I had was screaming at me, but I couldn't understand what they were trying to tell me. This servant girl - why did she feel like the most important person in the room?

My heart rate spiked in a way it never had, not in battle, not in any dangerous situation I'd faced. This was different. This was... terrifying and exhilarating at once.

My eyes tore away as I heard the throbbing sound of her vein. I wanted to sink my teeth, needed to.

I tried to keep my bloodlust down, nobody knew about this deadly part of me, the part that craved blood. It was a secret I'd carried alone for years, the reason I kept to the shadows, why I avoided crowds and ceremonies like this one. The curse that made me more monster than man, the thing that would horrify even my own kind if they knew.

But this girl... she didn't trigger the usual hunger for violence. This was something else entirely, something that felt like it might consume me in a completely different way.

Caden's voice snapped me out of my frenzy making me take control of myself while Valoric watched me like a hawk from his position by the window. I knew he could tell something was off. Valoric knew me better than anyone, had seen me through my darkest moments, and I could practically feel his concern radiating across the room.

"Maeve? What the hell are you doing here and why are you wearing that?”