CHAPTER THREE: A LADY INDEED

Jarek's POV

The Wolf Moon was the first full moon of every year. It was always a time of celebration, a time when the chill of winter was at its height but would soon be receding. Though I thought ‘chill of winter’ was rather an overstatement here in this temperate climate. I’d lived far north for much of my life, and the temperatures that caused the wolves here to start donning their sweaters were the same weather that would have me running around in shorts back home.

I rolled my shoulders as I arrived at the large town hall. The various packs that lived here were already assembling themselves. The town Elders sat on a long stage at the front of the room, and I quickly took my spot with the other Alphas, sitting next to Alpha Joseph Malcom. He grunted in greeting, a heavy shadow on his face.

Joe wasn’t exactly a talkative type. I was glad for his sullen silence as I settled in my chair. All the Alphas were on edge. Not only was this full moon the Wolf Moon, but we were about to come into a rare lunar eclipse. The timing was an ill omen, made all the more ill by the strange things that had been happening in the woods.

The spirits of the earth and trees were restless. The scent of magic was increasing throughout the town, and there had already been several incidents where strange shadows seemed to have tried to abduct children.

For a town that did its dues, offering a sacrifice of meat, blood, and milk to the forest on all the proper days, the restlessness was a bad sign.

The veil between the spirits and the living would be thinnest during the lunar eclipse, and this needed to be dealt with.

Elder Kaelion, the oldest member of the packs, stood. A hush fell over the assembly. In his creaking, ancient voice, he explained about the lunar eclipse and the strangeness with the spirits.

“We, the Elders, have consulted with stars and earth and water,” he said, leaning heavily on the podium. “The sacrifices of normal years are not enough for this year. Tonight, we will be sending a wolf into the dark woods.”

Gasps erupted through the room. More than one mother clutched their child tightly. My jaw tightened. Nobody dared to venture into the dark woods, not even us Alphas. Even on the brightest of days, it was as black as night inside that space. Previous Alphas had initiated logging to clear the area, and they’d all been slaughtered in their sleep.

“If the wolf survives and returns to us, it will be a good omen for the pack,” Kaelion continued. “If they do not return, we can count that evil is increasing in the woods, and we must barricade the town against the spirits.”

“But if we send someone into the dark woods, surely that is a sacrifice that will sate the spirits,” someone cried from the back of the room. I scanned the space, but I didn’t know who it had been.

“We will not know until the wolf either returns or does not,” Kaelion intoned gravely.

The whispers increased. I let out a slow breath, making sure that my own tension couldn’t be seen. The Elders had decided all this without the Alphas’ input. If it had been up to me, there would have been a fairer system in place to decide on the sacrifice. It would be a volunteer. Someone who would willingly risk their life for the sake of the pack.

But it wasn’t up to me or the other Alphas.

“The Elders counseled for many days on whom the sacrifice would be,” Kaelion continued.

The hall fell silent. Everyone waited to hear who was going to be sacrificed. Joe shifted in his seat beside me. I frowned slightly at the extra tension that radiated from him. I’d never say he was exactly a level-headed Alpha, but he seemed worse tonight. Had the Elders picked someone from his pack? They’d refused to tell me who they had picked when they told the Alphas earlier that day.

“Omega Jessa Malraux of the White Rivers Pack has been chosen to go to the dark woods,” Kaelion declared.

Silence lingered for another few seconds as everyone processed what was being said. Then someone laughed, though it was quickly muffled. My gaze shot toward where the laugh had come from. It was a group of teenagers, who all looked profoundly pleased with hearing that news. My frown deepened.

So that’s why Joe was antsy. It was his own sister that was being thrown into the forest. What must be going through his head? I couldn’t imagine letting any of my family go through that.

My gaze sought out the chubby blonde. Her pale hair was flat and limp around her face, her face a mask of horror. The other Omegas around her were inching back, as though they wanted to be sure that none of her misfortune spilled over onto them. Her usually cream-colored skin paled to an ashen grey.

My wolf growled in sympathy to her. It couldn’t be easy to hear that you were being tossed into the most terrifying part of the woods to die. I looked away. Best for this whole ugly business to be done with as quickly as possible.

“No!” The voice was stronger and louder than I expected.

I looked up, expecting to see Joe and Jessa’s mother or maybe grandmother protesting the decision. Instead, it was Jessa herself. She was on her feet, her hands clenched into fists. Her eyes bulged with fear as she shook her head.

“No,” she repeated. “I won’t do it.”

Kaelion frowned at her. “The decision wasn’t made lightly.”

“Like hell it wasn’t!” Jessa yelled. “You chose me before you decided on what to do. I won’t do it! I’ll—”

“Sit down,” Joe said, quietly. Almost too quietly to be heard over Jessa’s protest