The Meeting
924 Words
“Move along,” the guard barked behind me.
His voice was sharp, and when he shoved me, it wasn’t gentle. I stumbled forward, barely catching my balance. My heart was already pounding. I thought the council was done with me, but maybe they weren’t. Maybe this was just the beginning.
We passed through the tall iron gates of the Shadowclaw stronghold. The place looked like something out of a nightmare—cold, dark, unwelcoming. My chest tightened as I walked inside. I could feel the eyes on me. The pack was watching.
Their stares were sharp. Cold. Hateful.
"The hybrid," someone whispered.
"The outsider."
"The one chosen to marry Alpha Dorian."
The whispers didn’t stop. If anything, they grew louder the deeper we went. The path was narrow and winding, leading us through stone halls that felt like they were closing in on me. Shadows stretched across the walls, making everything feel darker than it already was.
“Is that her?”
“I don’t like this one bit.”
“She’ll bring trouble.”
I clenched my fists. I didn’t want to show fear, but it was there, growing inside my stomach like a knot. The guards beside me said nothing. Just walked. But I knew they didn’t like me either. Their silence felt heavy, full of judgment.
This place... it reeked of power. Cold, strict, and heartless power.
One of the guards looked at me and then quickly looked away, like he couldn’t stand the sight of me. I swallowed hard. The only one who had been somewhat kind to me was Cain from the council, and now even he was gone. These guards were just following orders, leading me straight to Dorian.
The name alone made me shiver.
We finally reached the main hall. It was massive, but I felt like I couldn’t breathe in it. Wolves stood on either side of the room, their gazes like knives. No one welcomed me. No one smiled. I was clearly not wanted.
And then I saw him.
Dorian.
He stood at the far end of the room. Tall. Strong. Cold. Everything about him screamed power. His dark hair fell over his forehead just slightly, framing a face that looked like it had never known softness. His eyes were the worst—cold and black, staring straight at me like I was something he needed to destroy.
My mouth went dry.
“So, this is her?” His voice cut through the air like a blade. Deep. Rough. Disgusted. “The one I’m supposed to marry?”
I flinched at his words. There was so much bitterness in them. Like I was nothing but a burden he had to deal with.
I stepped forward, tried to breathe. “Yes,” I whispered. “I’m Irwin.”
His lips moved slightly, like he was going to smile, but there was no warmth in it. Just something dark. His eyes didn’t leave mine as he came closer.
“You don’t look like much,” he said, his tone cold. His eyes looked me over, judging everything about me. “I expected... more.”
I felt small under his stare, like prey. Like he could see all my fears, my doubts, my past.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” I said quietly, but something in me pushed back. A small bit of fire.
He raised an eyebrow. “Disappoint me?” His voice dropped lower. More dangerous. “You haven’t even begun to understand what disappointment means.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to show how his words hit me. “Maybe I’ll learn, then.”
Something flickered in his expression. A twitch in the corner of his mouth. But his eyes stayed cold.
“You’re here because you have no choice,” he said, stepping closer. “Not because you belong here.”
I stood my ground, even though I wanted to back away. “I didn’t ask to be here,” I said. “But it seems neither did you.”
The air between us grew tense. He stared harder, and for a moment, I thought I saw anger in his eyes. Real anger. But it disappeared fast.
“You think you can talk to me like that?” he said, his voice low and cold.
My heart raced, but I kept my head up. “I don’t see why I wouldn’t. It seems you already hate me.”
His eyes narrowed, and he stepped into my space. “Hate you?” he said, almost like a whisper. “You don’t know the first thing about me.”
“Maybe not,” I said, and my voice shook a little. “But I can see it in your eyes. You don’t want this. You don’t want me.”
He didn’t reply at first. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at the guards standing by the door. Then he looked back at me. His stare burned, but I couldn’t tell what he was really thinking.
Finally, he turned away and lifted his hand, like he was done with me.
“Take her to her quarters,” he told the guards, his voice flat and cold. “We’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.”
I stood there, not moving, as he walked away. He didn’t look back.
The guards came up behind me, ready to escort me again, but I barely noticed them. My head was spinning. My chest tight. My thoughts already a mess.
What had I just walked into?
- Writer
