Silver Fate

Breakfast

After she calmed down in the warming water, she let the water drain away. Then, she stumbled to bed and collapsed onto the soft mattress. It did not matter to her who was waiting for her. Her parents, her Alpha. She needed to sleep, badly. Quickly, she drifted off into a restless sleep.

-

‘Good morning, princess,’ her mother sang when she entered Rue’s room. She pulled the curtains open, resulting in the sunlight flashing straight into Rue’s eyes. She pulled her bedcover over her head, trying to hide, but within three seconds her mother pulled it off of her. ‘Wake up, sunshine,’ she called her by a different nickname this time. Rue noticed on her mother’s face that she wasn't really this chirpy, since she looked pretty upset.

‘Mom, it’s my birthday,’ Rue complained nonetheless. ‘I am tired, just let me sleep in.’

‘I do not care that you’re sad that you won’t be our future Luna,’ Rue’s mother guessed wrongly. ‘You will have to get out of bed no matter what. Heath has postponed your party until next week and he took the hunters and protectors of our pack to check our borders. What in the Goddess’ name happened here last night?’

Rue slowly dragged her aching body up in bed, wanting to avoid the conversation with her mother. She looked at her mother, who looked similar to her, yet so different. They were both blessed with silverish, white hair and thick curls from their genetic makeup- Rue kept hers untied, while her mother always wore her locks neatly braided away. Like a true mother.

She put on a motherly smile, and grabbed her daughter’s hand. Then, her expression quickly vanished and with one powerful movement, she pulled Rue from bed and seated her in front of the vanity. Rue was still blinking away her sleepiness, while rubbing her eyes, as her mother’s fingers brushed through her wispy curls, fashioning them into an intricate updo that exposed the nape of her neck.

Rue noticed her mother glancing at her mischievously, while she kept adding more and more clips and pins to teasingly tie the curls together for effect. She whispered: ‘You never know, you could find your mate today.’ She winked playfully towards her youngest, yet also oldest daughter -since Rue was her only daughter- and then resumed work fixing the tight little tendrils up perfectly.

‘Now, get dressed,’ she said as she looked at her artwork. ‘It’s way too busy in the pack house to be lying in bed all day.’

As her only daughter's closet loomed in front of her, she strode towards it with purpose. Light blue jeans were plucked from their place and flung in the girl's direction. Rue, in turn, snatched them from the air with a practiced ease that suggested this was a common occurrence - because, of course, it was. 'Too busy?' she repeated her mother while deftly shimmying into the denim. But as she pulled the zipper up, she caught her shirt with her leftover hand and found herself suddenly blinded by the arrival of a vest in her face. All her hands were occupied, and she had no choice but to laugh.

‘We have got a special visit tomorrow,’ Rue’s mother stated to her surprise. ‘They called Heath and announced they were on their way. We haven't even seen them for years, but it did not sound like Alpha Ray had much of a choice.’

‘Which pack?’ Rue asked while getting dressed. ‘And why would that visit make the entire villa busy?’

‘Because it’s a Thorellvisit.’

All of Rue’s tiredness disappeared, like snow melting by the sun. She pulled the vest over her head in a sudden rush and quickly asked: ‘The royal pack?’

Her mother nodded. ‘Everything needs to be cleaned and readied for their arrival. Some members need to temporarily leave the packhouse, to make space for Caleb Thorell and his seven Beta’s.’

Rue snorted contemptuously. ‘Seven?’ she smirked. ‘What a show-off,’ she insulted the crown prince who she had never even met before. ‘Why is Caleb Thorell coming over? And will they only be with the eight of them?’

‘Guess so,’ her mother shrugged. ‘I do not know the entire message. Only the part that Alpha Ray disclosed to your father, right before he left to patrol our borders.’

Rue instantly felt her cheeks turn red. ‘He left?’ she asked her mother curiously.

‘Ever since last night,’ was the answer. Her mother studied her facial expression, not missing the pink that appeared on her cheeks.

Rue knew he must have left instantly after he left her bathroom, and for some reason it made her knees grow weak. It’s a type of embarrassment… yet this vulnerable feeling made her want to giggle. The Alpha was protecting her… and it felt so great.

‘It’s a good Alpha, that kid,’ Rue’s mother said, while studying her daughter’s face. ‘It’s a shame you two weren’t fated.’

Rue instantly jumped up from her seat and pushed her mother towards the door. ‘Let’s discuss that later,’ she brushed off all of her mother’s unasked questions. The innocent smile on her face instantly vanished, as she entered the main hallway.

It was incredibly busy. People were running in all sorts of directions, cleaning the floors and even making sure the paintings were hanging straight. She smelled the most delicious smells coming from the kitchens… And it made her stomach growl. Only now did she realise how hungry she was.

‘I’m going to go and get some breakfast,’ she told her mother. ‘Come and get me if I can do something for you, or the pack. Okay?’ her mother nodded, and she quickly ran towards the main kitchen.

‘Rue,’ she heard William call her by her name as she entered the main kitchen. William was one of her best friends. He and his mate, Sebastian, were one of the few mated couples that existed of both men. Everyone knew it was a genuine blessing, coming from the Moon Goddess herself. He had always been a close friend to Rue, and ever since him and Seb mated, his mate had also proven himself to be a trustworthy friend. ‘Where were you, girl?’ he asked her. ‘You missed your own celebration.’

With a innocent look on her face, she grimaced and went straight for the fruit platter. She picked up a green apple and took a big bite. ‘I eh… I was preoccupied,’ she said while chewing on the sour fruit. She felt William’s eyes looking at her neck. The intensity almost burned her.

‘No mark, huh?’ he stated, which resulted in Rue instantly looking him straight into the eyes.

‘Why is everyone emphasizing that,’ she blurted out angrily. ‘Does everyone know?!’

William laughed and raised his hands defensively. ‘Well, that’s what you get when the new Alpha openly claims you, Rue.’

She almost choked on a piece of her apple. She coughed, and spluttered until it shot out of her throat, straight onto the floor. ‘What?’ she belted out hoarsely, coughing the last remnants from her throat. ‘He did what?’

‘Well, claim.. claim…’ William started explaining. ‘He gathered some higher-ranked wolves, and let them know to spread the news that you are his chosen mate. That you’re his, and if anyone tries to claim differently, they would have to go through him first. He clearly did not beat around the bush, honey.’

Rue wiped the tears that came into her eyes when she choked on the apple, from her eyes and laid the leftover half of the fruit on the counter. She instantly lost her appetite. ‘What a moron,’ she hissed.

‘Moron?’ William repeated to her, surprised. ‘I find it extremely romantic, Rue.’

That’s when Sebastian walked into the kitchen. Without a word, William turned to his mate and they gave each other a long, passionate and very intense kiss, followed by an affectionate hug. ‘Morning,’ Seb said to his boyfriend, before turning to Rue and wishing her a good morning too.’

‘See,’ she complained while pouting. ‘That’s what I want…’ she declared out loud.

‘You want Seb?’ William asked, jokingly. ‘Do you see this sign here?’ he pointed to Sebastian’s neck -who tried to brush him off laughingly- ‘Unfortunately that’s not possible dear. He’s taken,’ William finished his joke.

‘No you I**iot. Not Seb,’ Rue laughed at her best friend. ‘No offense to you, Seb.’

‘None taken,’ William’s mate replied casually, while pouring himself a bowl of cereal. ‘I would not have wanted you anyway. I don’t feel like fighting Alpha Ray.’

Rue let out a frustrated cry.

‘Uh-oh,’ Seb said, while turning to his mate. He took a big spoon full of cereal and said in between chews: ‘Princess not happy with her new calling?’

William shrugged, and fished a single cereal from Seb’s bowl. ‘You know them, those Beta-daughters. Never satisfied with anything.’

Rue laughed and punched her best friend. ‘You’re mean,’ she tried to defend herself. ‘You know perfectly well that I was referring to your mate-bond. I want to be blessed by the Moon Goddess… I want to mate. I don’t just want to pretend and…’ She stopped as she saw her mother enter the kitchen.

‘Rue, I’m sorry sweetheart, but I’ve got to send you to Pearl.’

Rue looked up surprised. Pearl was the physician of Grawr, which is a town located in no-man’s-land. The town of Grawr sat right at the crossroads of four territories. You could find little towns like Grawr everywhere around the world, since they were neutral locations where useful professions could be shared. People like Pearl, the doctor.

It did not matter who you were; in no-man’s-land there was to be no fighting. And no one dared to challenge that neutrality. It was sacred to all kinds of shifters.

Her mother pressed a list into Rue’s hands, and Rue instantly recognized some of the herbal potions her mother needed. ‘Now?’ she complained, quickly grabbing her leftover apple half. ‘Shouldn’t I be helping prep for Caleb Thorell’s arrival tomorrow?’

‘Just go,’ her mother said teasingly, before turning around and quickly leaving the kitchen.