Born of red

The ball

Wen's POV

The days passed, I kept reminiscing about my run in the woods. I was climbing the walls more than ever. My guard became more agitated as I got more annoyed. Eventually the day for the mate ceremony was here. I did my normal routine in the morning, workout, breakfast and chilling on the balcony with a book, savoring the afternoon air. I knew I would be locked inside my room during the rest of the evening. My father would probably prefer to hide me from the world.

Around lunchtime I felt my chest clench and my stomach tightened. It was as if a huge power pressed against my chest. The minute later Lulu stormed inside my room and the doors locked behind her.

"What's going on?" I asked her, concerned about her flustered face. She took a deep breath and looked at me with fear in her eyes.

"The king is here." She mustered to get out between her breathing.

My chest filled with rage and I felt my wolf come out, wanting blood.

"He's here to make a treaty with the Alpha. He wants some of his pack to mate with some of ours. Mix them." She told me and I felt my eyes widened in shock. I was stunned. "Alpha Silar has put your guard outside the door. He doesn’t want the King to come close to you." She told me and gave me a reassuring smile. I had been right, my father didn’t want me to meet the king and I didn’t complain. The man was a monster.

Lulu went to the balcony doors. She locked them and gave me a look that clearly pleaded for me to stay inside. I rolled my eyes and nodded. I didn't want to meet the king. I had heard he was more ruthless than his father. I was only concerned about my own father. He had hated the former king, would he really agree to this new, young, King's terms?

All of a sudden I felt a pull towards the door. My heart raced in my chest and a pain went through my body.

"Who's in here?" I heard a dark voice that shook me to the core. It left terror in my nerves and made my heart ache more. This pull had control of my body.

"The alpha's daughter." I heard one of my guards answer.

"My king. Follow me and we'll discuss more." I heard my father say and the sound of their feet outside disappeared.

The feeling dimmed and I could breathe again. What the hell was that? Did the king terrify me that much? Lulu put a comforting hand on my shoulder and gestured towards the tv. I nodded back to her and we made ourselves comfortable, but my mind was on my father. The hours ticked by and finally my brother joined us.

"You're joining the ceremony tonight." He claimed with a cold voice. His face was stern as he spoke.

"What?" I said, baffled. I had expected him to tell me to stay in my room.

"The king demands it." He said, every word dripping with hate. This was not good.

"Let's get you ready then." Lulu said slowly which got Liam to take a deep breath and nod before he disappeared through the door.

I was still puzzled as I took a thorough shower and then joined Lulu in my room. The dress was laid out on the bed. I looked at it and felt suddenly nervous. I didn't want a mate. I was fine with being the daughter of an alpha. It was less responsibility and more freedom, well it would've been if not for my overprotective father. But even my prison gave me the freedom to be whoever I wanted.

"I'm sorry." Lulu said. She knew I was worried, she was the only one who had seen me in a weak state, no one else knew me in the same way.

"Let's get you ready. You can do this. No one is as fierce as you. Don't forget that." She told me and I smiled. Damn I loved her. What if I never saw her again? If I mated with one of the Bloodhound pack I had to leave my home. A worse fate couldn’t exist.

Lulu put on makeup to highlight my features and then let my hair hang under a crown of braids. After I had pulled on the dress and looked at myself in the mirror I looked as stunning as I looked terrifying. My red eyes were glowing, almost hypnotizing.

"Wow." Lulu sighed and smiled. "I'm a force of nature." She said and it made me burst into laughter. A hard laugh that hurt my stomach.

"What?" I said, still laughing.

"My work is done." She sighed.

"Oh, yeah. It's ALL thanks to you." I teased and chuckled. Lulu grinned triumphantly, not affected by my mocking. Then we made Lulu ready and I praised her as much as she praised me. She just waved it off, which I sighed heavily to.

A knock in the door told us it was time. Lulu took my hand and we walked out together.

My guard gasped and looked at me, stunned. My brother looked at me with a wide mouth. I snapped my fingers in front of his face and he blinked. He looked at me with a concerned frown as he took me and Lulu in both his arms. His stern look of anger made me uneasy.

We walked towards the back yard where the ceremony celebration was being held. As we got closer my heart started rapidly beating in my chest. Lulu smiled at me and then stayed behind as me and Liam walked out to be greeted by the pack.

"It's going to be okay, Wen." Liam promised and I smiled at him. He was as overprotective as my father sometimes.

"This is my daughter Windira of the mist pack. And next Alpha in command, my son Liam of the mist pack." My father's voice boomed. We walked out and everyone gasped and a mumble traveled over the crowd. We walked up to my father on the podium.

"The dance will now take place." He announced and everyone joined in a dance with their partners.

"Will you have this dance with me, Wen?" Will said behind my brother. I turned to him and gave him a thankful smile. "Don't worry, I already have a mate." He told my brother and I looked at him in surprise. "You'll see." Will whispered close to me.

I relaxed a little as I settled in the waltz. Every eye was on us, even the dancing couples glanced over at us from time to time, well glanced at me. I felt anger boil up and met every gaze with confidence, which made them turn away. I wouldn’t be pushed down and hide anymore.

My heart suddenly started to beat hard in my chest and I had trouble breathing. Every nerve in the body was on high alert. Pain coursed through me.

"Wen? Are you okay?" Will asked and I looked at him, not really seeing him. He was blurry, it was a good thing that he held me or I would’ve fallen on my feet.

My heart started beating faster and I thought it was going to burst out of my chest any second now.

"We have the grace of our Alpha King Xander Bloodhound from the bloodhound pack here tonight." My Father boomed and my eyes immediately pulled to him. His eyes met mine and my whole body was stunned. I felt myself pull towards him, but I stood frozen in Will's arms. This couldn't be happening. The man was breathtaking and terrifying. Power flowed from him and his green eyes were hypnotizing.

The king's eyes grew dark when he saw us, he rushed forward and pushed Will away.

"Mine." He growled and Will had no other choice than to step away.

No! Don't come close. I don't want this! Was all I could think as the King's eyes turned to me. They were filled with a warm green color and I felt like drowning in them.

"Mine." The king repeated with a low voice, his eyebrows in a frown. He was disgusted as he looked at me. He towered over me like a dark shadow, his body was enormous. His stature was scary enough and his presence was dominant.

"Windira?" My father appeared next to me and I snapped back to focus.

"Dad?!" I exclaimed in panic. I didn't want to be mated to the king. I couldn't.

"She's my mate." The king growled threateningly. "I guess our treaty is even more secure now." He grinned and it sent a chill through my body.

"You can't take her. She's my everything and you don't deserve her." My father began to protest and in the King's eyes I saw darkness grow. His wolf was furious.

"She's coming with me! Don't question me again or I'll rip out your heart here and now!" The King roared and I saw in his eyes that he meant every word. True panic settled in my chest. My brother came up to us with flashing anger. This was going to end badly if I didn't stop it right now. I had to accept this for the sake of my family and pack. It was the second my heart broke.

"My King." I said with a soft voice and put a hand on his arm. "If you do so you're going to kill me too. Let them be." I pleaded and my hand was burning at the touch of him. He looked down on my hand and then gave me a dark look, but he didn’t turn away, instead he leaned into my touch.

"But." My father started and I felt the muscle in the King's arm tense.

"Father." I said with a soft voice, filling it with love. "It is not the time or place." I warned him. "I will go with the King and I will be fine." I told him, putting on as a convincing smile as I could. I wondered if I could try and convince myself next?

"Play your cards right and you might get what you want." I hummed to myself in my head.

“You’re my everything.” My father sighed in defeat, clearly he was as heartbroken as me.

“And you are mine, but this is what I need to do. You have to do this for the pack and me.” I said, trying my best to convince him. My father still looked uncertain, but probably realized it was best for the pack. He couldn't refuse an order from the King either. His power over all werewolves was too great. He took a step back and lowered his head in submission.

"We leave in an hour." The King told me in his alpha voice and all I could do was nod.

He took off without another word and I could finally breathe. I let out a relieved sigh. The Alpha King was my mate.

"Wen!" Lulu was at my side and I smiled at her, taking a deep breath.

"Will you help me pack?" I asked her and she nodded with tears in her eyes.

Will followed us which I thought was weird, but I quickly brushed it off. I changed into jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket before we started throwing clothes into my suitcase. We packed every fancy clothes I had and some cozy clothes I wished I could get to wear at least once.

"I'm so sorry Wen." Lulu cried as we were finishing up.

"Oh it's going to be fine. I promise." I said and hugged her. I saw Will tense behind her.

"Wait?" I exclaimed and looked at Will, then Lulu and back again. "You're mates!"

Lulu blushed, but nodded with a smile. She looked at Will, their love shining brightly in their eyes. It was a beautiful thing, mate bonds. At least some were.

"I am so happy for you." I hugged Lulu again.

A knock interrupted us.

"It's time." Will said and I nodded then grabbed my bags.

We walked out to the front of the mansion. The King stood at the end of the stairs by a big black Jeep. I hated that he looked like a God that I wanted to adore. There was a whole caravan of Jeeps lined up amongst the King’s Jeep. The royal guard.

"So I guess this is goodbye." Will said next to me and I looked up at him.

"You better take care of her, otherwise I'll make sure you'll truly regret it." I warned him and I saw in his eyes that he believed me. He knew too well what would happen if he crossed me.

"Pfft." Lulu scoffed. "It's rather opposite if anything." She joked and Will smiled lovingly at her. It warmed my heart to know that he’ll adore her like that her whole life.

"Take care of yourself. And stay in touch." Lulu said to me and hugged me again.

"I'll try." I said and smiled at her before I turned to Liam.

"Brother." I said and he pulled me into a tight hug. "I love you." I whispered in his ear and the King growled in anger behind me.

"Speed it up." He ordered, but I ignored him.

"I love you too. Please don't go with him." My brother pleaded to me and I could feel the King's patience falter even more.

"I have to. Promise me to not intervene." I ordered him and he slowly nodded.

"Father." I said and his eyes were filled with tears.

"If you want out, just give me the word." He said and I shook my head.

"It's too much at risk." I said and smiled. "Thank you for letting me be me. Even if I was locked up. I always loved you, always will. Thank you for the last run." It was probably my first and last and that fact was just as sad as leaving my family.

"I love you, my darling daughter. Never forget it." He said and pulled me in a tight hug.

"Enough!" The king boomed behind me. "Windira! Come now." He ordered and I shot him a dark look. He looked puzzled for a second before growling and getting into the back seat of the jeep.

"We'll see each other, sooner than you think." I told my family as I walked to the car.

The door closed behind me and the guards got in, then we drove away from my life.

It was a nightmare to have to leave my home and my family. I didn't look back because I knew it wouldn't change the fact that I was leaving, plus it would only hurt more. I had to be strong, for them and for myself.

In the car there was silence, my body was however aware of how close I was to the King.

"If I may ask, my king. How far is it to your home?" I said without looking at him, I mentally thanked Lulu for teaching me formal speech. I tried to breathe as little as possible, his scent intoxicated me. It clouded my mind from thinking clearly.

"You can call me Xander. And my home is your home now. You're no longer a part of the mist pack." He said and that's when I realized that the mind link to my pack was gone. He was right, I was no longer part of that pack. It saddened me to no end. I didn't want to change pack. The mist pack was my family and I already missed them. It was a part of me. I felt a single tear fall down my cheek. I angrily wiped it away.

"We'll be home in 3 hours." Xander said and I nodded, still not looking at him.

The rest of the drive was quiet. We didn't utter a word.

---

When we arrived a young brunette woman came up to us as we got out of the car. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun, her face was round and the eyes were grey.

"My Alpha king." She bowed and he nodded at her before he left us there. "I'm Ellie, your personal escort. Never to leave your side."

"That sounds like I'm going to have a very creepy night." I chuckled, but she looked at me unamused.

"Wow, your eyes." She said in sudden surprise.

"So where's my room?" I asked, trying to divert the focus.

"Yes, sorry my Queen Luna. It's this way. The bags will be there shortly." She explained as we headed into the enormous mansion. It was three times bigger than ours back home. It looked more like a palace than a mansion. Yeah, palace was the right word.

"You and the king have the entire upper floor. Below is the kitchen, conference room and throne room, where the balls will attend." She said and we walked up a huge set of stairs.

"The King's suite is through those doors and his office is at the end of the hall." She continued to explain and pointed right. "Your room is this way." She said and we walked left from the stairs.

We came into a huge bedroom that was connected to an enormous bathroom and a big closet. Bigger bathroom, smaller wardrobe than back home.

"The King ordered me to make sure you stayed in this room until further instructions." She apologetically said.

"Go figure." I scoffed. "Asshole." I growled.

"You shouldn't say that about our king. He can be harsh sometimes, but he only does what's best for the pack." She said with adoration.

Yeez, this guy even brainwashed his subjects. He must be more of a monster than I first thought. Everyone feared and respected him. My mate who was disgusted by me. A pain shot through me and I took a deep breath before pushing the sorrow away.

"I hope you're right, Ellie." I said and smiled at her. Cloaking my pain.

"Are you hungry or anything?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I think I'll just go to bed." I said, feeling defeated and sad.

"Sleep well then." She said with a bow and left.

I stood there assessing my chances to run away but realized that even if they didn't catch me they would slaughter my entire pack.

My prison had been upgraded to a living hell.