Alpha's Daughter: Surviving The Claim

Lost Cause

Catherine did not get her way with Luna Felicity.

She was shaking in anger— or fear— as she was led down the hallway of the female building, her left arm looped through Christian Whitebane’s arm, and her right armed looped through Jamie Acwulf’s. Jamie, she had learned, was the Beta to Shadowcrest pack— apparently Alpha Felix Thorn was the other top contender in her claim.

Christian had watched with a smirk as she’d unloaded on Luna Felicity, who watched her with a calm and pensive expression. She’d ranted for over half an hour, snarling at the woman— who silenced her with one sentence.

“Would you like me to inform the elders you are refusing the claim, and should be arrested for treason?”

It had shut even Tala up inside of her head. Her wolf, with a final snarl, had tucked herself into the back of her head, going into survival mode. She knew what happened to she-wolves who didn’t cooperate with the claim. Due to her status, it was highly unlikely that they would sentence her to death— instead, they would pick her suitor for her themselves.. and Catherine knew that was the worst of her two options. At least if she entered the arena, she had a chance to make it out unmarked.

And here she was, allowing Christian to escort her to dinner with the Elders.

She had been stunned to know Felix Thorn had entered her claim. She knew a little of Alpha Thorn— she knew his people were happy, and well cared for. He seemed to have a reputation for being kind and just in the werewolf community— while also being strong and fierce on the battlefield. She had, upon reflecting, actually never heard anyone say anything negative about Alpha Thorn— and the knowledge of that had her inching closer to his Beta and further away from the murderer on her left.

“My Alpha is looking forward to meeting you this evening, Miss Conri,” Jamie said politely. “He has always spoken well of Alpha Conri and of Silver Moon.”

Putting on a show, Catherine beamed up at Jamie. “That is very kind, Jamie, thank you. My father is a wonderful man.”

He smiled back at her as he guided her into the elevator, momentarily breaking her away from Christian, whose eyes darkened angrily when his hand on her back guided her a few feet away from his grasp. They flashed black briefly, and a chill ran down her spine.

“He was always interested in Alpha Conri’s politics— his trade agreements with his neighboring packs inspired our own. Do you know much of them?” Jamie asked, pressing the button on the elevator to take them to the bottom floor.

Catherine held herself regally, as any Luna should. “I do, actually. I helped him write them. The thought was that trade with neighboring packs— goods and services, food and clothing— would help build a more neighborly bond, which we find lacking amongst our kind. It is in our nature to view neighboring packs as outsiders, and he had an idea to treat them more as friends. It definitely benefited our pack in the long run, and helps keep tensions down.”

“Because we have a pack mentality,” Christian interjected, leaning casually against the wall of the elevator. His eyes were dark and met hers head on, his annoying smirk still on his face as he challenged her. “It’s in our instincts to want to be the most powerful and assert dominance. It’s why packs so often fight amongst either other. Trading watermelons at a farmers market won’t change our base instincts, Miss Conri.”

She didn’t flinch as she stared at him. “That’s where I think you are wrong, Mr. Whitebane. I don’t believe any species with the ability to reason is inherently violent. And even if we were, we have proved over the centuries that we are quite an adaptable species, so blaming instincts.. quite frankly, it’s a cop out.”

His lip curled up at her comment, and Jamie snickered. “It seems she has a point, Whitebane. It seems Blood Moon pack and it’s ‘see it, take it’ philosophy may not work forever.”

Catherine looked between the two men, and she could cut the tension in the elevator with a knife. Christian was glaring at Jamie— and Jamie was glaring right back.

When the elevator haulted and the doors opened, Jamie stepped forward, holding out his hand to her. Christian shot daggers at him, but he didn’t move to offer her his hand.

“It won’t matter, you know,” Christian smirked. “How much you woo her or talk up your alpha— Killian Black always gets what he wants.”

Catherine ignored him, grasping Jamie’s hand. “Tell me more about your Alpha as we walk to dinner, Jamie.”

They walked down the long hall to exit the female dorm, where two armed guards checked both Christian and Jamie’s ID cards before opening the door. They were now walking through a pathway through a garden that connected the girl’s dorm to the main building— beautiful rose bushes and blooming flowers lined the tall, razor wire fences, and the fresh night air wafted over Catherine’s face, making Tala stir excitedly in her mind. The moonlight poured over them, the sound of crickets chirping almost making Catherine forget the armed guards lining the pathway, watching them very closely.

She and Jamie walked together, Christian following closely behind.

“He’s an honorable man,” Jamie mused. “I was not Beta-born, you know. I come from a Delta bloodline. When the last Beta bloodline died off with Felix’s father’s beta, he needed someone to fill the roll. He found me on the training grounds one day— and he kicked my a*s for three weeks before he asked me to be his Beta.”

Catherine watched as Jamie’s face became wistful, and she saw the respect in his eyes as he spoke of his Alpha. “He changed my life that day, and I have served him loyally ever since.”

Catherine smiled, and this time it was genuine. “He sounds a bit like my father. He always told me to give respect where respect was earned, regardless of title or pedigree.”

“Unless that pedigree is simply just better,” Christian snorted.

Catherine turned behind her, growling. “I don’t remember asking you. And if you know so much of pedigree, Beta, you should know to never speak when a superior hasn’t asked you to.. and last I checked, I’m the only Alpha-born wolf here.”

His lips twitched into a twisted smile. “I hope you keep that fire in you after my alpha claims you, Catherine. It would be fun to watch you try to use that tone with him.”

Jamie whirled around, a snarl ripping out from between his teeth. “If you are so sure he’s going to claim her, you would think a beta would have more respect for his future Luna.”

Christian chuckled, and went back to being quiet once more, trailing silently behind them.

“The dining hall is just through these doors,” Jamie gestured to the double doors ahead of them. “It was a pleasure speaking with you this evening, Miss Catherine. You really are as lovely as they say.”

Just as she was about to tell Jamie thank you and goodbye, a hand flashed out, long fingers wrapping around her wrist. Her eyes flashed up to a pair of green ones.

“Before we part ways, Miss Conri,” Christian’s smile gleamed at her in the moonlight. “I have a gift for you from my Alpha.”

Stunned, Catherine turned to face Christian as he reached inside of his coat pocket and pulled out a flower.

It was a rose. The stem was brown and dead, and the petals were black and rotting. The dry petals crumbled as they moved, falling ominously to the ground by her feet. She stared at it, unable to move. Fear settled into her chest, and she found her hands trembling.

“Even the most beautiful things in this world find an end eventually, Catherine.”