Chapter Two: The Bargain

The guards caught me before I even reached the castle gates.

Four giant men in dark leather armor surrounded me, their silver swords flashing in the pale sunlight. I didn't try to fight them. My leg was throbbing too hard, and my body was completely out of energy. I dropped my small hunting knife into the snow and held my hands up.

Ten minutes later, two of the guards dragged me down a long, dark hallway and shoved me into a massive stone hall.

The air in the room was so cold I could see my breath rising in tiny white clouds. Heavy black banners hung from the high ceiling, and a massive fireplace crackled on the far wall, doing almost nothing to warm the place up.

Sitting on a dark stone throne at the far end of the room was King Kaelen.

He was even more terrifying in person than the stories said. He had broad shoulders, a sharp jaw, and eyes as cold and blue as glacier ice. His dark aura filled the room, heavy enough to make the air feel thick and hard to breathe. He looked down at me like I was a piece of dirt he had just tracked inside on his boot.

"A rogue Omega trespassing on my land," Kaelen said. His voice was smooth, but cold enough to freeze water. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have my guards execute you right now."

The guards shoved me hard from behind, forcing me down onto the icy stone floor. My scraped knees hit the ground with a dull thud, sending a wave of pain up my bad leg. But I refused to stay down. I forced myself to sit up and looked Kaelen straight in the eyes.

"Because Marcus is coming for your throne," I said, keeping my voice as steady as I could. "And I'm the only person who can help you stop him."

A few guards near the door laughed out loud, but Kaelen didn't even crack a smile. He leaned forward, resting his heavy chin on his fist, his blue eyes locking onto mine.

"Marcus is a weak Alpha of a small southern pack," Kaelen said softly. "He wouldn't dare bring his men across my border."

"He wouldn't attack you out in the open," I shot back, taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart. "He's not stupid. But for the last three years, he's been building a secret army. He has workers forging weapons out of pure silver in the southern caves right now. He's planning a surprise attack on your border in two weeks."

The room went dead silent. The guards stopped laughing.

Kaelen’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "And why should I trust the word of a traitor who murdered her own Alpha?"

"I didn't kill him!" The anger burned hot in my chest, making me forget my fear for a second. "Marcus slit his father's throat while he slept and framed me because I found out about his silver mines! I have the map of his cave base hidden inside my boot right now."

Kaelen stared at me for a long, heavy moment. The quiet in the room was suffocating.

Slowly, he stood up from his throne and walked down the stone steps toward me. Every step he took was silent, like a cat stalking its prey in the dark.

He stopped right in front of me and leaned down, his shadow completely covering me. Up close, his scent hit me rain, pine wood, and cold steel. My wolf, who had been hiding in terror all morning, suddenly stirred inside my chest.

"You want protection," Kaelen murmured, his eyes scanning my cut face and blood-soaked clothes.

"I want asylum," I corrected him, refusing to look away. "You keep me alive, and you help me get my little brother out of Marcus's dungeons. In exchange, I give you the maps, and I lead your warriors straight through Marcus's secret tunnels."

Kaelen reached out, his long, warm fingers catching my chin and forcing my head up. His touch sent a strange shockwave straight down my neck.

"A trade," Kaelen whispered, a faint, dangerous smile touching his lips. "I like a rogue with teeth. But in my kingdom, nobody gets protection for free."