Chapter 4

You are about to take a bath when you feel an urgent mind link. You can try to ignore it, but that will only result in a headache. There are only a few that can force themselves into your mind. Your Alpha and Luna, of course; your fated partner and a lycan with royal blood.

You open your mind to receive the mind link and it turns out to be none other than Alpha Chase. “All of us must meet at the castle. The new so-called king called a meeting. Those who do not attend will be executed.'

Your mother burst into your room. "This is bad! How can he call a meeting during a heat wave?!"

“Mom, relax. I’m sure it’s over for now,” you try to calm her down.

“You need to bathe and be quick about it,” she urges, walking into your bathroom to get the water ready.

“There's no time,” you say, grabbing your favorite jacket, remembering that you'd left your tailored jacket in Henry's office.

“You smell like sex. You smell like a rogue. If you show up smelling like you do… who knows what will happen to you?” she exclaims, her voice panicked. She pushes you into the bathroom. "Hurry up. Your father and I will wait for you."

“Don't, I'll meet you there,” you tell her, closing the bathroom door.

You turn the faucet to stop the water. You are just about to feel the water when a mind link forces you to rush to the castle.

'Seriously,' you think as you pull on your skinny jeans, a crop top, and your favorite jacket. Halfway to your door, you changed your mind about your crop top. 'What the hell am I thinking?'

Yeah, what are you thinking?

You take off your jacket, followed by your crop top. You look around for a bra, 'screw it' you think, and grab a black t-shirt and pull it over your head, followed by your jacket.

You really should put on underwear. Trust me on this one.

You rush out as your Alpha's order pressure you to obey it.

‘Ok, ok, I’m on my way!’ you respond to his mind link.

“Honey, hurry up!” Your mother pleads in distress, showing you what she sees.

'Tell them to wait! I’m coming!’ you respond, taking off your clothes again and tying them up in a bundle before shifting so you can run faster. You grab your bundled clothes in your mouth, hating the fact that you had to bite your favorite jacket.

You see through their eyes that Alpha Chase is being held on his knees. They are about to behead him. Beside him, your father and a few others whose children have not yet arrived. They punish members of the same household for others, not at the meeting.

You storm through the doors and as you run to the main hall, following your mother's map in your head because you had never been to the castle, you shift and pull your clothes back on. You storm into the main hall, slamming open the double doors, making a noisy entrance, just in time for your father's turn.

"No! Take me instead!" you scream and jump forward, throwing your body over your father's.

"No!" your mother cried, but rogues holds her back.

All she has to do is use her royal authority, but will she put you in danger?

A rogue pulls you away from your father. You caught the scent of your fated mate and you look around despondently. 'Will they forgive me for being late when they realize I'm one of them?' you ask yourself. 'Am I one of them now?'

The rogues holding your father were once again ready to end his life.

"Stop," a voice with authority from the darkness made them release your father.

'Thank goodness,' your mother thought and rush over. She loves you with all her life and so did your father, but to tell you the truth, she was about to use all her cards to save him. Can you imagine what would have happened?

"One of you fated to our king. Make it easy for everyone and step forward,” demands one rogue.

'The king?' you think. “Ok, so at least he's not an actual king since I'm just an Omega and you can only mate with your own rank. Alpha Chase can then use his alpha authority. Crap, that's why they're going to kill him,' your mind is raising.

"All you unmated females, strip down to your underwear," comes the voice from the darkness, with authority.

You notice the women in your pack taking off their clothes.

You look at your mother, and mind link her. 'I fated with that man who took me earlier.'

'Strip! They can't know you have royal blood in you!'

'How will they know it was me? Royal blood?’ your thoughts raise back.

'He demanded them. Do you think they are stripping because they want to? You don't really feel his authority because you are his equal,' your mother mind links you.

“What are you saying?” you ask.

'It's a trick. If you don't strip, he'll know you're his fated mate. He might kill you for your royal blood,' your mother mind links you, her panicked eyes on you.

“Royal blood?” you ask again.

'Just start undressing, please. I will explain later,” she pleads.

'My mate,' thought the king, pleased at your appearance, but then you leave him disappointed as you took off your jacket and drop it on the floor.

‘I'm not wearing any underwear,’ you mind link your mother. By the time you took off your shirt, all the men from your pack have turned away as Alpha Chase ordered them with a mind link.

“Why are you all turning away? Did your king tell you too?” one of the rogues shouts.

“I asked them too,” you say, fearing they will kill Alpha Chase.

"And who do you think you are?" he asks, looking at your bare chest, licking his lips.

“I'm not wearing any underwear,” you say, dropping your skinny jeans and stepping out of them.

"Did you have a good time during the heat wave?" he asks because he can smell the sex on you.

“A very good time,” you respond, not at all afraid of him for some reason.