CHAPTER THREE
1370 Words
Today was my day.. everything had worked out perfectly.
I stood at the head table with my finger-combing my dark brown hair for the hundredth time, flexing before a mirror a maid had hung for me.
My green eyes sparkled back at me... sharp, confident, and victorious. The scarf Nadia had given me which was now around my neck smelled like jasmine and moonflower.. or maybe that was just her perfume.
"Alpha Liam."
Nadia slid beside me with her red gown clinging to her curves like a second skin. Her lips were painted the color of fresh blood.
"Everything looks perfect. Are you ready to address our guests?"
I grinned, pulling her close, my hand giving her ass a soft squeeze.
"I was born ready, sweetheart. Always."
“You seem to be in a good mood. Are you that excited about today?”
I nodded.
But that was a lie...the real reason for my good mood was last night... the memory of Nadia on me, her gasps and the way she'd moved when she rode me. I'd selected her for political alliance sure but the woman performed like she'd been trained for battle.. in more ways than one.
"The pack has gathered," I murmured against her ear. "Time to give them what they want."
She giggled, squeezing my arm.
"Try not to bore them to sleep, love."
I stepped onto the platform with hundreds of faces turned toward me... my pack members, and visiting dignitaries from several Packs.
"Brothers and sisters!" My voice rang out, amplified by werewolf acoustics. "Today marks a new beginning!"
Cheers erupted and I raised my hand, basking in the thunder.
"I stands here, beside my beautiful Luna, Nadia Whitlock..." Another wave of applause. "...to celebrate the union of our packs! Together, we will grow stronger. Our children will prosper. Our borders will..."
BOOM.
The ground shook causing everyone to stumble. I quickly grabbed the podium as dust clouded my vision.
What the hell...
CRACK..
Then came a second explosion, closer. People screamed, running around for safety and then... smoke.. thick choking grey smoke poured through, curling like hungry fingers.
‘Liam.” Nadia called as she was too scared.
"Nadia!" I coughed, rushing to her and grabbing her arm to steady her. "Stay behind me! I will protect you.!"
I used my body as a shield over her, trying to protect her at all cost. I didn’t mind getting hurt but not her.
Through the haze, shadows moved.. massive ones.. warriors in black armor poured through the broken door, and their leader... I couldn't see clearly yet but something cold slithered down my spine.
"GREEN HILL PACK HAS BETRAYED THE SEVEN PACTS!"
A voice bellowed like thunder so full of fury.
The smoke parted.. and there he stood.
He was enormous... easily six-foot-five. Black hair cropped close to a skull carved from granite and folden eyes that blazed like dying suns. Tattoos snaked across his massive arms, shifting as he moved and behind him, guards in matching black pressed forward.
Every single one of my guards froze.. because everyone in the seven packs knew those colors.
It’s…Blackwood Pack.. the Supreme Alpha's Pack..!
My stomach plummeted.
What’s he doing here? Did he come to celebrate with me?
No!
I had heard about him. He never makes an appearance at any ceremony or even accepts invitations. So why…
Darell Blackwood stepped forward, his golden gaze finding mine like a predator to its prey and his voice came out like gravel scraping bone.
"Alpha Liam Greene."
My name sounded like a death sentence on his tongue.
I quickly let go of Nadia and rushed to his front, forcing a smile and bowing my head, "Supreme Alpha Darell Blackwood, welcome to Green Hill. We weren't expecting..."
"My sister." Darell's voice cracked the air like a whip cutting me off. "Two years ago. You ordered her execution. Right?"
The color drained from my face immediately and my throat went dry. I slowly raised up my gaze and looked at him.
Ho…how did he know?
How..
"That was... a tragedy," I stammered, backing up. “I swear I…”
Nadia quickly grabbed my arm with her nails digging in as if trying to stop me from speaking further.
"It was a terrible mistake on our side. We should have been more cautious. The rogue wolves who did it... they acted without..."
"Liar." He moved closer. "I have proof. Of your orders. Signed with your seal. Will you still deny that?”
My heart pounded against my ribs.
"I…I really don’t understand any of this.” I tried to feign innocence. “But please…today is my wedding, I don’t think it’s proper to do this here. So how about we discuss this like civilized alphas. I'm sure we can work something out..."
"Wedding? You murdered her and still dare host a wedding?" Supreme Alpha Darell's eyes blazed brighter. "She was eighteen.. frightened and begging for mercy and you..." His lip curled. "...you allowed your dogs to tear her apart."
I swallowed hard.
I swear I never knew. If I had known she was his sister, I would never have given such an order. It was after her death that…
“Tell me. How do you think we should settle this blood debt?’
"What do you want?" I asked, finally decided to own up to my mistake. “I will give you anything you want.”
"Blood." He growled. "Yours. Your pack's. And every last one of you will pay for your crime..."
My eyes widened in horror.
I had only killed a person and he wanted the lives of my entire pack?
“No, you can't do that.”
“Watch as they all pay for your crime.” Then he ordered, “Kill them all.”
"WAIT!"
I shouted it before I could think while my mind raced, searching for anything.
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***Ava's POV***
I woke to screaming and the dungeon walls trembled with dust raining down onto my face. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming... had finally lost my mind from malnutrition and despair.
But then another blast rocked the stones and I heard it. running footsteps, shouting and even some gun shot.
What was happening?
Are we at war?
My body ached as I pushed myself up from the damp stone floor.
The cell was dark and colder than usual. My wolf whined somewhere deep inside me, too weak to even lift herself.
Just then, the door burst open and guards stormed in. Their faces were white with terror.
"Grab her!" One of them shouted. "NOW!"
They reached for me and I tried to fight but my limbs barely worked... Liam's poison still burned through my system, leaving me weak as a newborn pup.
Two guard gripped my arms, dragging me upward through winding passages that stank of smoke and fear.
"What..." I gasped. "What's happening? Let go of me! How dare you touch me?!”
But none of them even pay attention to my words. They only hauled me up stairs, through corridors filled with panic... people running, screaming, and crying.
What the hell was going on?
Finally, they dragged me outside and then into the main hall. And on entering, my breath caught.
But what caught my attention more was seeing Liam on his knees. The night and mighty Liam Greene. Kneeling right in front of a man, whose presence alone was terrifying. He’s massive and built like the monsters in old nursery tales with black hair and golden eyes that glowed like twin suns.
His presence radiated power... so immense it pressed against my chest even from across the yard and his jaw was set hard, his lip curled in disgust.
Supreme Alpha Darell Blackwood…
I knew the legends.. everyone did. The Alpha who united the seven packs through blood and fire.. the man who executed traitors by the hundreds. The monster who never shed a single tear when his father was killed right in front of him at the age of seven.
"Here!" The guard shoved me forward, nearly tripping over my exhausted legs. I stumbled, catching myself before I fell. "This is her! This is Alpha Liam's sister!"
Liam's WHAT?!...
- Writer
