Chapter 2

• Artemisia
• You may not know, that the Blood Fang Pack has signed a peace pact with us, but they are too powerful, they can break that useless pact at every given moment. So I was very surprised that my mother invited Blackwood.
• I look up as my mother nods and she lifts her glasses to read better. “Yeah. We had to.”
• “Why?” I ask, standing from my seat.
• I hate Alpha Blackwood so much. I hate his insolence, his guts, I hate everything about him. He's rude, lacks respect even to the older alphas, lacks humanity and acts like he owns the world. The fact that other packs and my brothers idolize him makes me hate him even more.
• Mother sighs, “The treaty that we have with them is really important for us. It is already unstable as it is. So we have to be extra nice to them. Imagine if they attacked us for real. That would be horrendous. Now, be a nice little lady, and help me pick out the flowers. Luna Diana showed you the dress she picked, right?”
• “I can’t believe you all!” I yell at her,“No wonder they keep playing us like a violin! Those arrogant bastards don’t deserve to ruin his ceremonial coronation as well as everything else they show up for!”
• ***
• I returned to my room feeling gloomy. The thought of having to please a pack that could bully us at any time made my heart feel heavy. I didn’t even notice my brother walking in.
• Giorgio takes a step forward, tilting his head at me. “Is there something that is bugging you? To have you agitated like that?”
• I scoff, rolling my eyes, continuing to sulk while staring outside the window. “It’s just not fair.”
• “A lot of things aren’t!” He simply states, getting me to turn around to look at him.
• “Aren’t you going to change something as the new Alpha? Will you allow them to continue to just act as they please?” I ask him, clenching the shiny surface of the sideboard I am sitting on.
• “Missy,” he sighs, putting his hands into his pockets. “There is not anything we could do.”
• Shaking my head, I raise my eyes to the ceiling, “Did you hear that they executed a wolfless She-wolf a few days ago?” I still cringe today whenever I'm reminded of that. And the innocent she-wolf is not their only victim. Blackwood and his proud triple younger brothers of course. They are so unhinged and merciless. They are brutal and ferocious, but Giorgio still goes ahead to invite them. The thought alone makes me sick. Why flatter them?
• “Yes,” he answers, the corners of his mouth dropping. “But it is only a rumour going around. The council hasn’t found anything on it.” I scoff under my breath. Of course, they cover up their brutal acts so well. Why would the council find anything?
• “But they are still investigating, aren’t they?” My voice reaches a high-pitched tone, nearly failing me.
• Giorgio shifts his weight from one foot to another, “Yes, but-”
• “No buts!” I scream, jumping off the furniture. “They act like monsters. We should stop doing as they please. Having them treat us as puppets to pull off a show with.”
• In the blink of an eye, Giorgio is standing in front of me, grabbing my arm brusquely. “You will calm down and refrain from saying anything like this out loud ever again! Do you understand me?”
• I whimper and pull my arm up, trying to cover from his intimidating fury. As I nod shyly, he growls, making me wince. “Do you. Understand. me?”
• “Yes, Alpha.” I say lowly, finally getting him to release me.
• I rub the spot pulsating painfully on my arm, pouting. “It’s not just us, Missy.”
• Looking up at him, I see that his rage-filled expression has now morphed into the usual caring one that I normally get from my big brother. “It’s important that you know that all of us are in danger. Even if we were to attack them all together, the chances would be high for them to crush us with a tired smile on their faces. You can’t grasp the things that we saw, so please. Don’t risk it. Especially not in your condition.”
• “My condition,” I murmur feeling crushed while still caressing my arm with my thumb.
• He flashes me his canines as he grins at me. “So, care to change the subject, you will come to my ceremonial coronation, right?”
• I wrinkle up my nose and shrug, “Sure. Wouldn’t miss it for no reason.”
• “Thank you. I’ll set Zeno and Zack to your side. This way Riccardo will not dare to come close to you again.”
• “That would be awesome, thank you. But I can defend myself, he is just a wimp, let the Zs enjoy their evening with their girlfriends.”
• He sighs again, holding me by my shoulders. “We are a family, and they will understand. He has to learn that he lost you and has to let you be.”
• “I’ll be alright. Don’t worry!” I say, with a grin.
• He nods, and is already standing by the door as he turns around, “You aren’t wolfless, Missy! Don’t punish yourself for something you can’t control.”
• I remain looking at the training ground, as I sigh, the first tears falling fastly.
• ***
• Joyful laughter fills the air while a rustling rises from the floors below us. The preparations for the ceremony are running smoothly and still.
• “Ladies and Gentlemen. Let ceremony begin.” My mother’s voice resounds in the hall.
• Squeezing Diana’s hand, I wish her good luck before I leave the room with Caterina.
• As we reach the ground floor, I halt just behind my mother and feel Zeno laying his arm around my shoulders.
• I can feel how everybody is anxious but also extremely excited. My brothers and I stand there to face the first guests with a smile while my parents welcome them officially on our pack grounds. I stare in awe as the elegant representatives of other packs walk in dressed elegantly.
• Everybody seems to be working tonight. The organization of the guards, the escorts from the boarders, and the logistics for the party bear witness to my mother’s skill as Luna.
• We decide to move with the crowd and go to the back of the house. The big patio leading to the large meadow is now decorated lovingly with garlands and flowers. At the end of the field that is fenced with rose bushes, there has been set up a huge stage where the coronation will be held.
• I squeal excitedly as I follow Zeno out to a few bar-high tables that are still free and start snacking on the hors d’oeuvres that are being served.
• Zaccaria reaches us with fast steps, and I groan.
• “Really, I don’t need your pity. Just leave me alone and go enjoy the evening with your mates.”
• Zeno grins as he munches on pretzel sticks. “No can’t do, sis.”
• “I brought you champagne.” Zaccaria beams as he stretches out his arms for me to get my glass.
• “Thank you, Zack.”
• Even before Zeno can take his glass from our brother’s grip, his expression darkens.
• “The assholes are here.”
• Zaccaria’s and my head whip to the patio, just in time to see five members of the Blood Fang Pack scanning the crowd with a frown.
• Well, no, let me rephrase that.
• One of them wears a frown. I can’t tell what the others are doing.
• And what a frown.
• His strong frame lets all the others pale in comparison. Even surrounded by the strongest wolves in the Southern Hemisphere, he seems to tower over everybody. He has his squared jaw clenched as he stares us lowlives down with his glacial eyes and I guess I could cut myself if I was to touch his face, due to his high cheekbones.
• And why the fuck would I want to touch his face?!
• For the first time after what seems an eternity, I feel my wolf stir and I gasp, tearing myself out of my trance. My heart thuds loudly in my chest and my heart begins to race as I turn restless. My wolf has been silent since Rick rejected me, but now she's uneasy. It's like everything around me has faded and time has slowed down for me. I feel multiple jolts of electricity go through my body and all my senses comes alive.
• My brothers look at me concerned as I grab the material of my dress.
• “What's wrong?”
• “Cassy… She… I think she just moved.”
• “Really?” Their sparkling eyes have my heart bleeding as I think that it might be for an entirely wrong reason.
• “Mate.” I straightening my spine with a deep breath.