Chapter 4

AARONNE

“What is it about extinction?” My father stands in the doorway, arms crossed.

My heart stutters. “I thought—”

“Your beauty is still as radiant as the morning sun,” Father takes a step inside. “Or, are you scared about your wolf who has delayed to come? I had asked you to have patience. Is that what you are afraid of?”

“Father, I didn’t hear you.” I shift, trying to block his view of the fallen book.

“Anya said you felt sick. Is this your remedy? Hiding in the library?”

“I need to read about Ronan’s pack,” I lie. “They seem so powerful. I need to have a bit of knowledge.”

“Read? With a headache?” He scoffs. “That's quite unusual.”

After all these years, Anya is still a terrible liar.

“The ceremony is starting. You are the center of it. The library is not a place for a lady's daydreams. Besides, all this dust can make you sick. What if a spider bites you?”

That's true, I did not think of that. 

He turns, expecting me to follow him. 

As his back is to me, I scramble, using my hands to return the book back in its place. 

I take one last look at the shelf and silently promise to return. Then, I follow my father out.

I return back to the hall and sit besides my Father.

Lunch is over and for some reason, the men continue to beat around the bush. 

“This is a new dawn for our packs!” Father declares, his cup raised.

“As we join our children together, we join strength and purpose!” Borin’s voice thunders. “Our packs will be as one!”

They speak of a lot of things and not one person cares to ask me if I'm happy. Everything that happens is to their advantage. 

I feel Ronan’s gaze upon me, still. I avoid his eyes. The Alphas are done speaking, now it is his turn.

He stands, and the hall is quiet. “Blue Night pack needs proof, not just words. I am here to show Alpha Kieran that I am worth more than a thousand soldiers.”

He steps into the open space before the dais. The air crackles. In a twinkle of an eye, he shifts.

Where Ronan stood is now a massive wolf. His fur is dark honey, thick and glossy. He is enormous—larger than any warrior wolf in our pack. He moves with a coiled, arrogant grace, muscles rippling under his pelt.

He is terrifyingly beautiful.

I caution myself from admiring him. ‘What a show off!!’ I muse. 

The hall holds its breath. My own pack watches with wary respect. He easily could tear through our warriors. Ronan’s wolf is bigger than even our best warrior–my father. We honestly don't stand a chance. 

This is a display of power, pure and simple. He is making us know that if anything goes wrong, we are the weaker ones and he can bully us into submission. 

He shifts back, standing naked and unashamed in the presence of people. 

I shut my eyes. I am not used to seeing naked men. 

Stepmother Lyra giggles beside me, she is obviously loving it. She acts like giggling spray is poured all over her. 

The hall erupts—cheers come from the Silver Claw side and a more measured applause from our own.

Everyone seems proud and impressed. 

Ronan raises his hands, basking in the attention. He seems to be very vain. 

“This is the strength I bring! This is what will protect our future!”

The halls clap louder for him and Alpha Borin's Beta steps forward and announces, “The gift-giving begins!!”

It is expected of the groom's family to bring gifts during the introduction ceremony. Servants from Silver Claw pack bring forth chests and drop it on top of the dias.

“Our first gift is twenty wolf-pelts from the northern hunt!” Borin’s Beta says as he touches a bright red chest.

He gestures to the doors. “We have also brought three war-bred stallions, for Alpha Kieran and a chest of black iron ore.”

Father jabs Borin’s shoulder, grinning. “You old fart.”

They continue to line up gifts, including a white pony for me. My father is delighted. His in-laws are coming correct. 

“And finally,” the Beta says, placing a scroll in Father’s hands, “for the father of the bride, a map of the hidden springs in the granite hills.”

Father unrolls it with greedy delight, studying the markings. This map is an expensive artifact. I can only imagine how much Alpha Borin and Ronan paid for it.

They are filthy rich. And all these gifts are the price for my hand–paid in full!!

The feast begins. Platters of roasted meat, bottles of wine and all sorts of assorted meals are scattered at the table. 

Ronan moves to sit close to me, his thigh is rubbing next to mine.

He leans in, his breath is warm on my ear.

“My bride, do you love the gifts?” 

I don't care, so I don't answer him. 

“You see?” Ronan continued. “We keep our promises. I am not a man of empty words.”

I push food around my plate. “Your display was impressive.”

He takes it as a compliment. “It is little. At least I have shown that I am a man. Don't worry, I will gift you ten thousand slaves when we become officially married. I would go to the moon and back for you.”

‘Ten thousand slaves,’ the words curdle in my stomach. Why would I need to enslave ten thousand people?

I pray for the night to end. I want to go back to bed. 

As the noise peaks, Ronan stands again, tapping his knife against his goblet. Silence falls.

“My new family!” he booms. “We have spoken of strength, of security and we have given gifts. But a true Alpha does not just defend. A true Alpha…expands.”

He pauses, savoring the attention. Father’s face is neutral. Alpha Borin wears a proud smile.

“There are tales,” Ronan continues, casually, as if discussing the weather, “of lesser shifters hiding in the wild. Creatures who have forgotten their place. Fox-spirits who steal our rabbits in the field and bear-shifters who claim our caves, robbing our warriors of where to sleep when they go to war.”

A chill spills down my spine. My fingers tremble. I clasp my hands in my lap. I suspect that this is going somewhere. 

“And some say….even swans.”

The word makes me shiver. My back breaks into a cold sweat. I bow my head, staring at my whitening knuckles.

“Weak, beautiful things,” he scoffs. The hall rumbles with laughter.

“They hide in tribes close to forgotten lakes, thinking their beauty will protect them. They do not understand that this is a new world. A world where wolves reign supreme.”

He raises his cup, his eyes scanning the crowd before landing on me. They burn with a bloody, crazy ambition.

“I make you this vow as your future Alpha! This union gives us the strength not just to guard our lands, but to purify them! We will hunt these lesser creatures. We will take their lands. We will show them the age of wolves has come, and their time is over!”

He looks right at me, his smile widening. 

“Imagine it, my bride,” he whispers, his fingers brushing a strand of my hair. “A cloak of swan feathers for our wedding bed. The ultimate symbol of our dominion.”

The Silver Claw pack roars. Our own warriors join, pounding tables, voices raised in bloodthirsty agreement.

All the sound fades. All I see is Ronan’s triumphant face.

I go into a short trance. I see my feathers being plucked. I feel the violent tear of my cloak being stolen. I see his arrow aiming to shoot my heart.

The man I am to wed is a vicious hunter. And the first creature he has vowed to destroy…is me!