A Pack Fit For a Queen
1448 Words
Isa sniffed the letter once more before placing it down on her desk. The familiar vanilla scent lingered in the air, and with it, an increasing irritation that had been building ever since Lady Priscilla began sending her these letters. At first, the woman had been content with sending occasional notes, small requests that Isa could easily ignore or comply with when convenient. The attention felt harmless at first, even flattering.
But now, the letters came daily—each more insistent than the last. Isa would reply only when she had the time, her eyes skimming the demeaning tasks the councilwoman asked of her. Despite her desire to ignore them, Isa’s wolf purrs every time she caught a whiff of the vanilla scent, making it hard to resist. But this latest letter was different.
It wasn’t just another small favor or manipulation; no, this one was a much bigger request. Isa needed to write back and refuse, but there was a problem: the letter came with no return address. There was no way to contact Lady Priscilla, no way to follow up.
Before Isa could think further, her phone rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. Frowning, she looked at the screen—who could possibly be calling her at this hour, and how did they get her private number? Hesitantly, she answered the call.
“Hello?” she said, her voice tight with a mix of curiosity and irritation.
“Hello, darling.”
Isa’s body stiffened at the voice on the other end. Though she had never heard it before, she immediately recognized it. She didn't need to see the woman to know who it was. Isa's wolf growled low in her chest, reacting to the very sound of Lady Priscilla's voice.
“I know it's late, and we’ve never spoken on the phone before,” Priscilla continued, her tone smooth and deceptively sweet. “But I was beginning to worry you wouldn’t cooperate with my last request. I must thank you for everything you've done so far. I knew this one would be difficult for you, so I’ve already sent word to your father as well. Just to be sure.”
Isa’s stomach dropped at the mention of her father. Her wolf stirred violently inside her, sensing the threat in those last words.
“You did what?” Isa’s voice came out sharp and dangerous, though she worked hard to keep control.
“Please don’t be upset, darling,” Priscilla purred. “I did what I had to do to make sure everything goes as I want it to.”
At that moment, the door to Isa's bedroom creaked open. Jace popped his head in, his frown disappearing as he saw Isa on the phone. Without a word, he gave her a pointed look.
“Charles wants you in his study. Now,” Jace said before disappearing just as quickly as he had come.
Isa felt the tension in her body rise even further. Her wolf roared for release, but she pushed it back down, forcing herself to remain calm.
“I have to go,” she said, her voice flat.
“I know, darling,” Priscilla replied, a touch of sweetness masking the steel in her voice. “I’m sure when we meet, everything will be forgotten. I do apologize for intruding on your family business, but the treaties between the packs are far more critical than your relationship with your father.”
The line went dead before Isa could respond. She clenched the phone tightly, throwing it onto her desk as she turned toward the door.
Jace was already standing there, his eyes expectant as he waited for an explanation. Isa ignored him and walked past him toward her father’s study.
Isa entered the study, not bothering to knock, her presence filling the room as she approached Charles’s desk. The old man barely looked up from the papers in front of him.
“Father, you wanted to see me?” Isa asked, her voice more controlled now, but the anger simmering just below the surface.
“Did you get the letter from Priscilla?” Charles’s tone was even, as though this were nothing out of the ordinary.
“Of course, I did,” Isa replied, trying to keep the irritation from her voice. “But I’m afraid the request she made of me leaves far too many questions. I assume you’ve received a letter from the councilwoman as well?”
Charles finally looked up, meeting her gaze with a sharp look. “You will do as she says.”
Isa stared at him, her hands gripping the edge of the desk as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“You can’t be serious. Do you even know who this pack is? Their reputation? What will this do to ours?” She shook her head in disbelief. “You want me to go to them, a wolf pack that’s notorious for its brutality, and what? Marry their alpha? You can’t possibly think this is a good idea.”
Charles’s face remained impassive. “What reputation? Isa Pentagrim is dead. You are Dani Bellvile now. You have no reputation. I understand the risks involved, which is why Mr. Reed will be accompanying you.”
Isa’s jaw clenched as she glanced over at Jace, who was leaning casually against the wall, watching the exchange with a smirk.
“No,” Isa snapped, the words slipping out before she could stop them. “I will not be taking a vampire with me to investigate a wolf pack. They will eat him alive out there.”
“Unfortunately for you,” Jace piped up, his smirk widening, “I am the baby vampire with the connections inside the pack.”
Isa shot him a venomous glare, but Jace didn’t flinch. He was far too used to her wrath by now. Still, the idea of him accompanying her didn’t sit well with her.
“The pack I have connections with is a lethal one,” Jace continued, his voice dark. “Damon Reath, their alpha, is a notorious killer both on and off the battlefield. No other pack dares step onto his territory.”
Isa took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down, though the killer instincts inside her were already stirring. She wasn’t allowed to spill blood in the main residence, but out there, in Damon’s territory, things would be different.
Jace’s words hung in the air. “I do believe the alpha is looking for a new bride. His mate was killed last year in a territory war.”
Isa felt a strange, dark thrill run through her at the thought. Marrying the alpha? What kind of twisted idea was this? And yet, it felt almost… inevitable.
“Well,” Jace said, his eyes glinting with amusement, “what better way to calm the pack down, get a treaty from the council, and stop all the bloodshed? You marry the alpha, become the pack's queen, and ensure peace.”
“But I’m a vampire,” Isa protested, though the idea had already begun to take root in her mind.
“No one will turn down the opportunity to marry the high king’s daughter,” Charles said firmly. “Now, Dani, not another word. Pack your bags. That is an order you will follow.”
The car ride was tense, the air thick with the scent of vanilla as another letter from Lady Priscilla arrived. Isa reached for it without thinking, the familiar fragrance hitting her senses immediately. As she read the letter, her stomach turned.
*My dearest Dani,
I know what I’m asking is a massive risk, and I’m glad you’ve come around to the idea. I’m sorry for involving your father, but the treaties between the wolf packs are critical. Please forgive me for intruding. I knew your father would persuade you better than I could.
I know you have many questions, and I promise when we meet, I will have answers. Give my love to your wolf, and safe travels, my dear.
Lady Priscilla
Fourth Division
Xxxx*
Isa scrunched up the letter, throwing it out the window despite Jace’s protests. The vanilla scent still lingered in the car, but something felt off about this letter—its tone didn’t match Priscilla’s usual manipulative charm. The words were too soft, too… familiar.
“Did you smell that?” Isa muttered, her hand still resting on the window.
Jace eyed her, his expression unreadable. “What?”
“I don’t know,” Isa said quietly, staring at the horizon as they drove. “But something’s not right.”
- Writer
