Willowfang: The Moonlit Treaty

Harlan - The tension in the room was stifling. The ornate chair pressed uncomfortably into my rigid back as I sat at the long oak table, my claws itching to carve into its polished surface. My lip curled slightly, but I forced myself to stay seated, my gaze sweeping over the Hollowfang delegation. They lounged in their chairs like lazy animals—slouched, indifferent, exuding casual arrogance. Not one of them, save Anika—their second-in-command and self-appointed wrangler of this sorry group—bothered to glance at the meticulously crafted treaty my pack had poured weeks into preparing. The others muttered among themselves, exchanged smug looks, or leaned back as though the outcome had already been decided in their favor. It wasn’t smug superiority—it was something worse. It was disdain. Anika, at least, skimmed the contract, though the slight tilt of her head and the faint quirk of her lips made it clear she was searching for weaknesses rather than understanding its terms. My fists clenched beneath the table. The deal should have been finalized by now. The terms were fair—more than fair. Yet here they were, dragging it out, and for what? To gloat? To extract more from us? When Anika finally looked up, her eye immediately caught mine. Her smirk deepened, and I felt a knife twist in my gut. Six months of failed meetings, tense banquets, and endless negotiations. Six months of enduring her sharp tongue and sly smirks. I had almost convinced myself that today would finally be the breakthrough I had been longing for. My father had worked tirelessly to draft a fair arrangement that would settle the land disputes and timber rights that had kept our packs at odds for years. Countless lives have been lost from petty squabbles at the border because our forefathers refused to settle on an agreeable border. This was the first talk of peace in over a century. “I have one final condition,” she said, her voice cutting through the murmurs of approval. “To seal this treaty, I propose that your son marry our Alpha’s daughter as a sign of goodwill and unity.” My claws did scrape the table then, causing a horrible wrenching sound as the wood curled up beneath my fingertips. My teeth ground together so tightly my jaw ached. I barely registered my father stiffening beside me. “What?” I managed to bite out, my voice low and dangerous as my wolf prowled just below the surface of my skin. Most would have withered at my tone but Anika ignored it, leaning forward with that insufferable smirk still in place. “A union between our packs would solidify this agreement. It’s a gift from the Hollowfang pack. What better than a strong, capable she-wolf to serve as your Luna.” The room went silent, as her arrogant words hung thick in the air. Curse her… I sprung to my feet, my chair scraping loudly against the stone floor. “Why?” I demanded, my voice raw with anger. “Why are you punishing us? We’ve offered a more than reasonable split of the river and timberlands. Why this?” Anika rose to meet my challenge, her brown eyes melting into a pool of honey as her wolf peeked forward playfully, like she found no greater enjoyment than to watch my world crumble. “Punishing you? This isn’t about you, Harlan. This is about our packs. You should consider yourself honored to receive such an offer.” She spoke sweetly, batting her eyelashes innocently, like she wasn’t some kind of vile creature. A few of her pack members snickered quietly, masking it with a cough. I should have known someone from the Hollowfang pack could never appreciate a fated mate. They probably just f**k whatever beathing person they could like some rutting dog. Anika tapped her papers into a neat stack, before resting her chin on her hand, her eyes narrowing, with a mock pleasantness. She had laid her cards out, now she was waiting for my reaction. In an instant I could have that pretty little neck of her’s snapped. She thought she was untouchable? I would only need a few moments alone with her to have her begging for mercy. Fuck… I’ve never met a woman I wanted to do such violent things to. My father’s voice cut through the rising tension. “Yes, of course. We are entirely grateful for such a lovely young woman to become our pack’s future Luna. It is a most gracious proposal.” My head snapped toward my father. “What…” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of disbelief. The room seemed to spin around me. How could he agree so easily? This wasn’t just a proposal, it was a theft. My mate, my destined Luna, was being ripped away. The future I’d envisioned of me leading my pack with the wolf chosen by the Moon Goddess was suddenly washed away in an instant. I was so enraged I almost didn’t notice the slight sigh that escaped Anika’s lips as her shoulders relaxed. Almost. “Harlan,” my father growled, a sharp glare silencing me before my outrage could spill out of my mouth again. How can he be siding with her!? “Wonderful,” Anika said, clearly pleased with herself. “My Alpha will be delighted to hear the news when I return.” “This is a cause for celebration.” My father announced, a wide grin spreading across his face as he stood. “Yes, the Hollowfang would love to invite you to our Full Moon celebration. One last banquet to end our negotiations.” She spoke, ever the business woman as she stood, her hand reaching across the table and shaking my fathers. Her eyes sliced over to mine. “Except, the wedding, of course.” Her laughter twittered around the room as my father joyfully joined in. My wolf couldn’t take it anymore, but one firm hand on my shoulder held me in place. She turned with a flick of her hair, her smirk cutting deeper than any blade as she surveyed the room one last time. The door slammed shut behind the last Hollowfang delegate, and with that, my legs gave out as I collapsed back into my chair. My father’s hand still rested on my shoulder, a silent command for me to let it go. But I couldn’t. Ever. "How could you let this happen?" I spoke, not even looking up at my father as the word ground out from my clenched teeth. “This is for the pack. For peace, finally.” My father reassured me, standing to gather the treaties the Hollowfang delegation had left behind. The only one missing was the one directly across from me. She was different from the rest of her pack. She wasn’t dimwitted, nor did she roll over easily. Her sharp wit and unbelieve negotiation skills had taken both my father and I off guard. It made her all the more dangerous. “No,” I growled, standing as my voice grew. “How can you say that when you’ve given Hollowfang everything they’ve asked for? They have no right to demand more from us. The don’t deserve-” “Son, enough.” My father's words snapped out like a whip, the buzz of the Alpha’s command lined behind each syllable. My jaw snapped shut and I nodded once before heading to the door. I stormed out of the room, my mind racing. Peace, my father had called it. Betrayal, I called it. And I swore, before the Moon Goddess herself, that I would make her pay for every smug glance and sly smirk she dared to throw my way.