CHAPTER 9 - OCTAVIA
2267 Words
My mother comes to tell me the dire news the next morning. Well, good news for everyone else. Dire for me. She’s standing just inside my doorway, looking more at ease than I’ve ever seen her lately. Her lips pull back in a wolf-like grin, her eyes dancing with relief. Not a single hair is out of place, her makeup flawlessly bright.
I look like s**t compared to her.
“So?” I sigh, yanking a brush through the soft waves just to make them extra bouncy today.
Mother shifts slightly, finally picking up my wariness. “They’ve signed the treaty. As of right now, we’re at peace.” She hesitates. “As long as the marriage holds.”
“And when am I supposed to be married?” I ask quietly, setting the brush back on the vanity.
“Not for a few months. The Pr—Alpha explicitly asked if an engagement would be enough.”
Our eyes meet in the mirror. “The Alpha asked that?” Frowning, I turn to face her. “Not Father?”
“Alpha Ezra didn’t seem too worried about marrying quickly,” Mother replies. “Your father mentioned that he wanted to wait.”
I can sense the beginnings of unease in her. “And that makes you anxious. Why? Isn’t this a good thing?”
“Not exactly.” She walks closer, reaching out to lightly finger the soft locks falling over my shoulder. “If the Alpha decides he doesn’t want to marry you, everything will fall apart.”
The true implication of what she’s saying hits me like a brick wall. “You mean he’ll kill me.”
“Did you say something to the Alpha last night?” Mother asks, eyes narrowing. “Anything at all that might have made him change his mind even the slightest bit about you?”
I only called him an asshole, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“No,” I say finally. “Nothing.”
She makes a soft hum, not entirely buying it. “Well, I guess you’ll just need to convince him. You leave in two days.”
“I—what?” Ice curls in my stomach. “Two days? Isn’t he leaving today?”
“He is. You are not. He was nice enough to give you some time to say good-bye.”
I have to swallow back the bile that threatens to come up. “Only two days?”
“We won’t be parted for long, Octavia,” Mother says gently. “With this peace treaty, you’ll be able to come back and forth. As long as the Alpha allows it.”
“And if he doesn’t?” My hands curl into fists on my knees.
“Then that’s that.”
“You don’t seem too torn up about handing over your only daughter to a monster,” I note.
Her silver eyes flash dangerously. “This hurts me more than you know, love. But I also know that it must be done.”
“Or else we’d go one killing one another,” I finish for her. “Except, weren’t we winning the war? Grandfather managed to push them back before. We can finally end this if we just keep fighting. We can win.” It sounds desperate even to my own ears.
Mother’s nose wrinkles in disapproval. “You know nothing, Octavia.”
“Only because you and Father have never included me,” I snap back.
“Then I’ll tell you this—we were losing. Badly. Alpha Ezra had managed to take back a good portion of the front lines out in Wyoming. If it wasn’t for this peace treaty, he would have taken the entire state altogether.” Mother studies me for a moment. “Because of this marriage, Ezra has graciously allowed the land—and our people—to be given back to us.”
“You mean, he’s given back your oil,” I reply bitterly. “I at least know that much.”
Mother’s lips thin. “Do not screw this up, Octavia. Your people are relying on you.”
“The Prince doesn’t even like me,” I counter. “It’s already screwed up.”
“He doesn’t know you,” Mother corrects. Murmuring, she adds, “And that’s probably a good thing.” She gives me a once-over, as if just now noticing that I haven’t even changed out of my pajamas. “You should probably dress. We’ll send them off in about an hour.”
I glance down at the soft, worn t-shirt I’d stolen from Tristan and athletic shorts. “I think I look perfectly fine.”
Mother bares her teeth, a hint of wolf slipping through. “I do hope that was a joke.”
Taking a deep breath, I face my reflection. Dark circles hang beneath my eyes, my complexion too pale even for me. “I’ll get ready now,” I tell her, giving in.
I spent all of last night trying to fight off the urge to just give in. What’s the point? I knew Father would do anything to sign that peace treaty, especially now that I knew we’d been losing the war. If I didn’t go through with it, if I messed this up, my people would always know me as the princess who f****d it all up. There’s nothing I can do except play along and hope the Alpha doesn’t murder me as soon as I step foot onto his territory.
“I’ll see you downstairs on the front patio in an hour,” Mother says over her shoulder, sweeping from the room.
I groan, letting my head fall into my arms atop the vanity. My first interaction with the Alpha last night hadn’t been great. I wouldn’t even say it had gone well. Calling him an asshole had probably been my first mistake, earning me faint scars from where his claws had dug into my back last night. They were probably healed by now, but I can still feel the ghost of his touch.
It took a while to drag myself to the bathroom to shower and choose something Mother and Father would approve of. By the time I’m finished, I feel a bit better—getting ready usually does help me feel more put together. But inside, my stomach churns with anxiety, twisting in my gut like snakes. I wipe my sweaty palms on the black dress pants as I head downstairs. The white chiffon blouse feels too tight, the high neckline like a collar around my neck. Fitting, I suppose. Since I’ll now be the Alpha’s b***h.
Mother and Father are already waiting for me downstairs. Outside, I can hear the sounds of the Wyres moving about as they pack up their town cars to head back to their own territory. Suitcases and bags are tossed unceremoniously into the back of the cars, the thumping sounds loud even from inside the house. I know he’s out there as well—I can feel him.
“Don’t you look lovely,” Mother purrs, her hands slipping down the sides of my arms. I want to go back upstairs to change just to spite her.
But I don’t.
Instead, I follow them out the front doors, my shaking hands clasped in front of me. I stare at the stone floor, unwilling to take one last look at the man I’ll be chained to for the rest of my life. The scent of the Wyres hits me as I stop beside Mother, fresh and clean like summer air. For a second, I’m slightly disoriented, unused to the smell. In our house, leather and the cold scent of metal is more rampant, the only hint of the outdoors coming from freshly cut flowers from the gardens, or if someone forgets to close one of the many windows.
“Alpha,” my father’s voice shakes me out of my stupor, “I hope it was a pleasant visit.”
“It was…not as we expected.” I glance up sharply, meeting those golden eyes. The Bloody Prince gives a sardonic smile, one I’m already becoming familiar with, though I wish I wasn’t. “Princess.”
I give a short nod, not wanting to say anything lest I betray my thoughts. I have nothing nice to say to him. But Mother nudges me sharply in the side, her bony elbow digging into my ribs. “It was very nice to meet you,” I reply as coldly as I dare.
“Was it?” His head tilts, light hair curling at his forehead.
I can hear Father’s heart skip a beat. “Octavia will be joining you in two days, as agreed.” Just in case the Bloody Prince decides to go back on his promise for a peace treaty here and now.
“I will send Dominic to fetch her, then.” The Alpha motions toward the guard I’d found snooping in our gardens last night.
Dominic’s jaw clenches slightly as he gives a brief nod. “You should expect us in the afternoon.”
“We’ll keep an eye out,” Father replies easily, his shoulders relaxing just a bit. “Is there anything Octavia might need to bring with her?”
The Alpha’s lips curl, the gold turning to ice in his eyes. “Perhaps a better attitude. But I’m sure that will change once she realizes we’re not entirely savages.”
Horror slips down my spine. Beside me, Mother’s face turns to stone and I know I’ll pay for this later. Anger burns in my chest, flaring across my cheeks. How dare he? Snitching on me in front of my parents is cruel and such an asshole thing to do. Clearly, my assumptions of him the night before were dead on. He probably is always an ass.
“Well,” the Alpha grins, his face transforming so entirely that it throws me off, “we should get going. It was a pleasure, King James. I do hope this is the start of a new beginning for all of us.”
“Indeed.” Father reaches out, shaking the Alpha’s hand with a firm grip. “Have a safe trip.”
The Alpha turns to go before pausing. He stops just in front of me, only a breath away. “I hope the trip will be pleasant for you, Princess.”
I bite back a retort, choosing to simply nod my head rather than dig my grave any deeper.
Dominic holds the back door of the first town car open as the Alpha slips inside. The door shuts, the windows too tinted to see inside, even for us. The other Wyres have already climbed into their own cars behind the Alpha, hazy smoke drifting from the exhaust pipes. My family and I wait until Dominic starts the car, watching as the Wyres disappear down the long drive and beyond the trees.
I let out a short breath, a little of the weight lifting from my chest as soon as he’s gone. Mother wastes no time. Whipping around, she locks me in a death glare.
“What the hell did he mean he hopes you bring a better attitude?” she demands. “What did you say to him?”
“Nothing,” I reply bitterly. “Nothing that really matters anyway. The deal’s still on, isn’t it?”
“For now,” Father replies, sniffing. “But we’ll see how long that lasts if you continue this behavior.”
“It’s not like I had a choice in this,” I bite back. “Maybe if this was of my own choosing, I’d be a bit more pleasant about it.”
“None of us have a choice.” Mother’s lip curls. “It’s what must be done.”
I cross my arms, refusing to believe that bullshit excuse. “If you want me to go willingly, then I have a condition of my own.”
“That’s not how this works,” Father hisses.
“It is if you want this peace treaty to stand.”
They exchange a dark look. For a moment, I don’t think they’ll listen. Father sighs, motioning for me to continue.
“If I’m going, then I want Tristan to go with me.”
Mother rears back slightly. “Absolutely not.”
I shrug, turning to head back inside. “Then I guess I’ll just be my usual self and let this peace treaty fall apart. I mean, I’ll probably die either way, so why should I care?”
“Wait.” Father’s voice stops me in my tracks but I don’t turn around. My heart pounds against my ribcage. “If that’s your only condition, then you can take Tristan as hired help. God knows his parents would be thrilled if that kid had a semi-decent job,” he mutters.
I close my eyes, unable to fight back the smile. It’s a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Mother whispers. Father must silence her with a look because she goes quiet.
“Thank you,” I tell them. Without looking back, I head inside.
It might be selfish of me to force Tristan to face this fate at my side, but I don’t think I’d be able to go without him. At least now I’ll be able to take a tiny piece of home with me.
I just hope I don’t get us both killed.
- Writer
