Claimed By The Wrong Alpha

6

Benjamin read the parchment from top to bottom before turning slowly toward me. Then he shifted his gaze back to the men and nodded.

Without saying another word, they simply turned around and left the territory.

Hours later, Benjamin lost no time in gathering the old man and Sara.

"—You are not setting a single foot in that palace."

My Uncle Benjamin's voice echoed in the gloom of his study. He threw the parchment with the black wax seal onto the mahogany desk as if it were a piece of burning coal.

Beside him, the mystic elder of the Old Blood—the same one who had examined me three years ago after my fall from the waterfall—remained silent, stroking his graying beard with concern.

"—If she doesn't show up, they will consider us rebels," Sara warned, pressing her hands against her apron. "—Disobeying a direct order from the Silver Wolf King is a death sentence for the entire pack."

"—And sending her to the heart of the capital isn't sending her to the slaughterhouse?" Benjamin retorted, facing his wife. "—Destiny's aura is too pure. If she steps into that grand hall, the noble Alphas or the King himself will smell the astral blood in a matter of seconds."

The elder took a step forward, making the red thread embroidery on his blue robe rustle.

"—There is an alternative," he said in a slow voice, locking his gray eyes on me. "—A veil enchantment. An ancient ritual to seal her scent and slightly alter her features for a few hours."

I turned my head, confused.

"—Modify my appearance? Is that even possible?"

Sara approached me and gently took my shoulder.

"—They did it once in my family many years ago, Katerine," she explained in a whisper. "—It's a mixture of runes and sacred herbs that lulls the wolf's essence to sleep and blocks the scent we emit to the outside."

"—The problem," Benjamin interrupted, crossing his arms with a skeptical expression, "—is that Destiny's power is not that of a common wolf. Her presence is brutal. We don't know if such ancient magic will withstand the force of her blood."

The elder nodded gravely.

"—It won't last all night. At most, the veil will hold firm for an hour or two. It's a narrow window, but enough for Katerine to register her presence on the roster of unmarried women and slip away without raising suspicion before the illusion shatters."

I crossed my arms, feeling absolute rejection toward the whole idea.

"—It sounds foolish to me," I declared coldly. "—I don't even want to go to that party. I have no interest in parading ourselves in front of an arrogant king or wasting time among superficial nobles. We can simply hide in the mountains until the Solstice passes."

"—That's not an option, Katerine," Benjamin insisted, looking at me firmly. "—If the troops from the Silver Palace search the valley and you're not here, they will burn the Sanctuary to the ground. You have to go."

I was about to protest again, but a warm, dominant impulse vibrated deep within my chest.

"Accept," Destiny's voice echoed in my mind, not as a suggestion, but as an absolute command. "We are going to that gala."

"Are you crazy, Destiny?" I replied internally. "We are risking getting caught."

"There is something in the capital that belongs to us, Katerine. Accept the veil. We will be fine."

I swallowed hard, looking at my uncle and the elder, who were waiting for my decision.

"—Fine," I yielded, letting out a frustrated sigh. "—I accept. But I will only stay for as long as the enchantment lasts."

Five days later…

The sting of the magic on my skin felt as if frozen needles were being applied to my face.

In front of the carriage mirror, I could barely recognize myself.

The elder's ritual had softened my features: my emerald-green eyes now looked a dull brown shade, my dark hair appeared lighter, and, most importantly, my wolf's scent of snow and sandalwood had vanished completely, replaced by the neutral odor of a low-ranking wolf.

"—Remember," Sara whispered to me as the vehicle pulled up in front of the doors of the Great Silver Palace. "—The mark of the runes will begin to burn on your wrist when time is running out. As soon as you feel the heat, you must head toward the gardens without looking back."

"—Understood," I murmured, adjusting the neckline of my blue velvet dress.

The Grand Hall of the colossal fortress was a display of opulence and intimidation.

Hundreds of nobles and warriors dressed in furs and ceremonial armor filled the floor, while dozens of young unmarried women waited lined up before the registration officers.

I walked with my head down beside my Uncle Benjamin, trying to blend into the crowd.

However, before we could reach the main table, a guard in black armor barred our path.

"—Identification passes," the man demanded in a gruff voice.

"—Sanctuary of Shadows Pack," Benjamin answered, handing him the sealed parchment.

The guard reviewed the list and then locked a calculating, unpleasant glare onto my face. He stepped uncomfortably close, inhaling the air around me like a hunting hound.

"—A common-blooded wolf..." he commented with a touch of contempt in his voice, his eyes slithering down my dress. "—Though quite well-shaped for coming from the periphery."

I clenched my fists beneath the fabric of my dress, feeling Destiny clawing at the mental barrier in rage.

The provocation made my stomach turn, but I forced my brown eyes to remain submissive so as not to break the enchantment.

"—Sign here and move to the side gallery with the others," the officer ordered, tossing the quill at me.

I stamped my name on the register and quickly stepped back with my uncle. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

But just as I was preparing to head for the exit toward the gardens, a royal bronze horn shook the very foundations of the palace.

The murmur of conversations died out instantly.

Hundreds of nobles fell to their knees upon the marble in dead silence.

A crushing, majestic, and terrifying pressure flooded the air of the hall, catching my breath in my throat.

An Supreme Alpha aura so powerful that it threatened to bend anyone's knees blanketed the room.

At the top of the grand staircase overlooking the inner plaza, he appeared.

Imposing, draped in a cloak of dark furs over leather and steel armor.

His face looked as though it were sculpted from cold stone, and as he raised his head, two glowing, incandescent silver eyes swept across the crowd.

The Silver Wolf King. Maddox.

A searing pain began to burn my right wrist. The elder's veil was beginning to crack.

The King began to descend the steps slowly.

His gaze passed right over the dozens of women bowed at his feet until, suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks.

He turned toward the dark corner where I was standing and locked his silver orbs directly onto mine.