Chapter 3
1174 Words
Carl was Roscoe’s son, a Black Cardinal.
The look of betrayal in her brother’s eyes mirrored her own.
“Carl,” Clive called in anger, but Carl ignored him. He walked over to his father’s side.
Clive howled.
“Stop it, Clive. No one asked you to be stupid all these years to the extent of not knowing where
your best friend came from. With an attitude like that, how well do you think you would have led
the pack?” Romania asked calmly, trying to calm his anger.
“I’m doing this for your own good.” She finished with an air of finality.
Roscoe squared his shoulders before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“The mating ceremony is taking place this evening at the Cardinal territory and you all are going
to be there.”
“I know you hated my father, but desecrating his memory like this is so low.”
Tears clouded Clive’s eyes.
“I think we’re done here,” Roscoe replied angrily.
“Go and get ready. We’ll be heading to the Cardinals pack in one hour.” Romania said.
Jean offered Elara a sympathetic smile and went after Romania.
“I better get dressed,” Elara whispered and went up to her room.
Carl was going to be her new stepbrother. She sighed.
Jean entered after a short while.
“Is something wrong?” Elara asked looking at her with curiosity.
“Your mother gave me this. She said you should wear it to the mating ceremony.”
“It’s white," Elara stated.
Jean said nothing. She just laid out the dress on the bed for her.
Everyone except Clive was ready.
“Tie him up and throw him into the car. He’s going to this ceremony.” She instructed her guards.
They did just as she had commanded.
They went right up to Clive’s room and bundled him out and into the car. The car ride was a
short one, and soon they were in the Cardinal territory. The air was filled with festivities and
celebration, but Elara still felt unease. She still couldn’t understand why she was wearing a
white dress.
An entourage was waiting to welcome them.
Roscoe was standing right there in the center with Carl standing next to him. Elara’s heart
slammed into her chest walls at the sight of him. Romania smiled warmly and went into
Roscoe’s embrace.
“You look dashing, dear.” He complimented.
“Where is our white lamb?” He asked.
Romania gestured to Elara.
“What do you mean white lamb?" Elara asked in confusion.
Some of the women rushed to her side and lifted her gently into a sedan chair that was waiting
by the side.
The white lamb!
Such responsibility was usually given to the high priestess of a pack. The white lamb usually
depicts purity and love and serves as a link to communicate with the moon goddess. For the
period of her role, she wasn’t supposed to touch the ground in order to maintain her purity. Elara
still couldn’t understand why she had been given that role. She sat calmly in the chair.
The guards came out of the car carrying a flailing Clive.
“Put me down!"
“Throw him in the dungeons until he learns some manners,” Roscoe commanded.
Elara tried to jump out of the sedan chair, but the women held her back, stopping her from
stepping her feet on the ground.
“Carl. You’re in charge of accompanying the white lamb.” Roscoe ordered.
Carl nodded and went to sit next to Elara in the sedan chair. She moved over trying to get as far
away from him as possible.
“You’re just going to let them treat my brother like that?” Elara questioned.
“He is your best friend.” She cried.
“I guess you were just as fake as your identity."
“Look at you. Trying to be brave. I wonder where that little girl that thinks I’ll notice her went to.”
He fired back.
She felt like she had been slapped in the face. She swallowed all the other things she was
about to say as the procession started.
Omega wolves preceded the sedan chair, singing in their ancient tongues and marching toward
the center of the ceremony. Some other wolves lifted the sedan chair and followed behind the
procession.
Wolves cheered all around them as they moved. She forced a smile and waved at the wolves.
They started clapping and singing praises of the white lamb.
“You should stand and wave,” Carl instructed.
Elara nodded.
Everything happened so fast. Immediately she got up, the wolves carrying the sedan chair
tripped, and the chair tumbled, and Elara found herself sprawled all over the ground with red
sand all over her white dress.
A loud wail erupted from the crowd.
“The goddess has rejected us.” Someone cried.
Other people joined in the cry and began rolling all over the ground. Elara raised her head and
saw the anger clouding Romania’s face.
“Get up.” Carl grabbed her by the shoulders and hoisted her up.
Elara was filled with shame and disgrace.
“Now I can definitely see why you needed to marry me to take over your pack. Your children are
worthless.” Roscoe sneered.
Romania grabbed Elara by her elbow.
"I warned you not to disgrace me,” Romania whispered angrily.
Elara looked into her eyes. A tear slid down her cheeks.
Carl gently removed Romania’s fingers from Elara’s elbow, then he offered her his jacket to
wear.
“I’m sure this is all a huge misunderstanding. Let’s just continue with the procession.” Carl
suggested. He waved his hands at the crowd, urging them to forget about what had just
occurred. The priestess then appeared almost immediately and began performing the rites.
“Let the Black Cardinal take his place and let his newfound mate come to him.” The priestess
ordered.
Roscoe walked up with pride. Romania walked over slowly and knelt in front of him. Roscoe’s
smile widened as he looked down at her.
A thought crossed Elara’s head.
“Our packs are miles apart. How would he govern the two packs?” She whispered to Carl.
He looked down at her with a weird expression on his face.
“God, you’re dumb.” He insulted.
The priestess handed Roscoe a knife. He took it and slit the palm of his other hand. Blood
poured out and dropped onto the white sand.
Romania opened her palm and offered it to Roscoe. He gently cut through it and in the same
way, blood spilled out. They held each other tightly mixing their blood.
“No.” Elara whispered when she realized what was going on.
She looked up at Carl to see him watching her.
"They’re creating a pack link?” She whispered.
“Yes.” He answered.
“That means we have to live together." She said to herself in alarm.
- Writer
