CHAPTER 2 -The Predator’s Feast

Maya’s POV

I stood in the middle of Alpha Kael’s ruined study, my heart hammering against my ribs. The air still smelled like his rage, and my blood.

I looked down at the floor. The spilled tea was a dark puddle on the black stone. I quickly grabbed a cloth and began to scrub. I had to hide the evidence. If anyone smelled the metallic tang of my blood in that tea, they would ask questions I couldn't answer.

“Treaty Bride.” The words echoed in my head. Prince Victor Valerius was not just any vampire, he was a royal. He was a hunter. He was the man my father had warned me about before he disappeared. Victor hated hybrids. He called them "dirty mistakes."

I heard voices in the hallway. Heavy boots and the clanking of armor. The pack was moving. They were getting ready for a feast to welcome the Prince. In the Silver Peak Pack, we hated vampires, but we followed the laws. If a Prince came to visit, we had to feed him.

A small side door opened. It was Sela, my sister. Her face was tight with worry, and she was carrying a simple grey dress.

"Maya! Thank the spirits you're okay," she whispered, rushing to me.

She looked at the floor, then at my thumb. She saw the tiny cut.

"You gave him your blood again, didn't you?"

"I had to, Sela," I said, my voice shaking. "He was going to kill the guards. He was going to kill me."

Sela grabbed my hands, her eyes searching mine. "Maya, look at me. This has to stop. You are playing with fire. Kael isn't just a man anymore; he’s a black hole. He’s going to pull you in until there’s nothing left of you."

"I can't just let him turn into a monster," I argued, pulling my hands away. "If he goes feral, the whole pack falls apart. The Vampire Council would use it as an excuse to wipe us out."

"And what happens when you run out of blood?" Sela hissed, her voice cracking with fear. "It's getting worse. The more he takes, the more he needs. You aren't healing him anymore, Maya. You’re becoming his drug. His body is building a resistance to the drops. Soon, he will want the whole vein."

"I know the risks," I whispered, looking at the door.

"No, you don't!" Sela grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently. "The Blood Moon is coming. Your body is already starting to shift. If you keep giving him your essence, you are choosing the wolf side by accident. You won't have a choice left when the moon turns red. You’ll be stuck as a servant to a madman forever."

"He called me his salvation, Sela. He looked at me like... like he actually saw me."

Sela let out a sad, bitter laugh. "He saw a bottle of medicine, Maya. Not a girl. Now, listen. The Vampire Prince is downstairs. He’s asking for the 'servant girl' who cleans the Alpha's room. He’s already poking around, looking for a reason to cause trouble."

My blood went cold. "He knows?"

"He suspects something," Sela said, handing me the dress. "Kael ordered you to stay here, but the Pack Council overrode him. They want all the omegas downstairs to serve the wine. If you don't show up, it will look suspicious. Put this on. Keep your head down. Do not look the Prince in the eyes. If he catches a whiff of what you are, not even Kael can save you.”

The Great Hall was filled with the smell of roasted meat and expensive wine. Long wooden tables were packed with thirsty, loud werewolves. But at the very front, on a raised platform, sat the guests.

Alpha Kael sat in his large stone throne. He looked calm, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. His gold eyes were fixed on the man sitting to his right.

Prince Victor was beautiful in a way that hurt to look at. His hair was the color of moonlight, and his skin was as white as marble. He wore a suit of deep crimson silk. He wasn't eating. He just held a glass of wine, swirling it slowly.

"More wine, runt!" a guard barked at me.

I hurried forward, keeping my eyes on the floor. I held the heavy clay pitcher with shaking hands. I moved from table to table, filling cups. I tried to be invisible. I was just a shadow in a grey dress.

But as I moved closer to the head table, the air changed. It became heavy and cold. It felt like a thousand needles were pricking my skin. This was the "Vampire Pull." My own vampire blood was reacting to a royal. It wanted to bow. It wanted to scream.

I reached Kael’s chair. I leaned forward to fill his cup. As I did, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist. It wasn't a mean grip, but it was possessive. He didn't even look at me; he kept staring at Victor.

"This is the girl," Victor said. His voice was like silk sliding over a blade. It was smooth, but it could cut you in half.

Kael’s grip on my wrist tightened. "She is just a servant, Prince. She has nothing to do with our treaties."

"Is she?" Victor leaned forward. His ice-blue eyes locked onto me.

I felt a shock run through my body. It was like he was looking straight through my skin, seeing the dark, shimmering blood in my veins. My fangs ached. I bit my lip hard to keep them from sliding down.

"She has a very... interesting scent," Victor whispered. He stood up slowly. The entire hall went quiet. Even the loudest wolves stopped eating. "She smells like a wolf. But underneath... there is a hint of something sweet. Something royal."

Kael stood up too. He was much bigger than Victor, a wall of muscle and fur. "Sit down, Valerius. You are a guest in my home. Do not insult my people."

"I am not insulting her," Victor said, walking around the table. He moved so fast it looked like he was teleporting. Suddenly, he was standing right in front of me.

I couldn't help it. I looked up.