Chapter 2 A Mates scent

Chapter 2 A Mates scent
Alpha Caspian's POV 
...On the Same Day. 

"Welcome Alpha Caspian, the great lord of Shadow Moon Pack."

My entourage of sleek black cars, their engines humming like silent predators slid to a graceful stop in front of the Crescent Moon Pack house. With quick well-practiced movements my driver stepped out. 

He turned around, opened my door and I slowly but consciously came out. I took my time allowing my presence to descend like a storm cloud over the area. As I stepped onto the stone driveway tall and unconcerned the sun glinted off the dark lenses of my sunglasses. 

Everybody looked on. All of the murmurs stopped. I was Caspian Alpha. I was fearless, esteemed, merciless. I was the Alpha of Shadow Moon Pack, one of the most powerful regions in the area and I ruled with a blood-and-ambition-forged grip.

I had only traveled across packs, hunting tirelessly because I had smelled something. An enticing frustrating trail on the wind that led me here. This pack, to this exact residence. 

The ceremony of mating had already been on track. The pack was celebrating their own and a faint melody of joy poured through the enormous doors. However I wasn't here for their festivities. 

She had me here.

"Alpha Caspian."A recognizable voice said . 

Lance. The beta and acting alpha of Crescent Moon Pack. In full ceremonial regalia he came up to me with a phony but practiced smile. An authentic diplomat in every way. 

"Lance." I gave a flat acknowledgement. I didn't smile back at him. 

"You honor us by being here today. We did not anticipate-"

" It wasn't intended for you to." I said icily. "Where's your Alpha?"

Blinking he let out a slow breath."My sister Rosa is taking it easy. She is not present at the ceremony."

My jaw tightened. Fascinating. He motioned me to follow him and I entered the palace's opulent foyer. Something altered as soon as my boots made contact with the marble. 

My wolf shifted. I became short of breath. After a change the air became dense and nearly electric. Next I sensed it. A scent. Not any scent though-the scent, insane, deadly. Sweet. Risky. All at once. 

I stopped moving. "Mate." I muttered, before I could stop myself it escaped my lips. 

The word was spoken with a reverence that wasn't appropriate for a man like me and it trembled in the liminal space between thought and instinct. Lance stopped next to me looking at me with interest then looked after me. 

He smiled slowly and knowingly. In reference to the marble staircase that leads to the eastern wing he nodded. "Rosa's room is that one."

A thud of certainty sounded as my chest rose and then fell. The smell tugged at me from the inside out. She was close by. My inner wolf let out a triumphant cry. My aim is to mate her. 

My five months of tireless search had led me here and I wasn't going to go back without her, I was going to apply force If I must. But who wouldn't want to join with a powerful Alpha like me? I was worshipped like a moon god, any maiden will die to have me as hers.

Without hesitation I said "Immediately." 

Lance's expression remained unwavering. He pointed to two guards in the area. " Tell the Gammas to get Rosa ready."

They were gone in an instant. Lance whispered to me as he escorted me deeper into the palace "You dont waste time, I like that."

"I don't think anything is worth wasting. Particularly not time, nor power. Date brought me here."

The pack servants rushed to prepare a lavish feast that had been prepared for the mating celebration but now it was for me. Rich wines, golden breads and roasted meats were presented on platters but I hardly touched them. 

My gaze kept wandering over to the staircase. My attention was focused on her scent. She was no ordinary mate. I was with her. And she had a strong aura. Like smoke from a wildfire it clung to the air warm and thick. 

Gorgeous and perilous. Perfection of my kind. However I needed some time. For the purpose of breathing. To think, to get back in control before my inner wolf tore through the surface. 

I stood up and muttered."I need air."

I was not questioned by anyone, no one would dare to as I shoved my chair back with an intentional noise and strolled out.

Night had started spreading its limbs across the sky as I strode out into the garden behind the pack house. Although the cool air touched my skin it did not significantly reduce the heat that was radiating through me. 

Beneath my skin my wolf made a restless surge. I balled my fists and concentrated on calming my breathing while allowing the garden's serenity to quench my inner fire. 

However something startled me back to full awareness just as I was starting to center myself. A hard bump-someone had slammed into me. 

Automatically my lightning-fast reflexes kicked in and I turned. Someone stumbled. I moved before her thoughts could catch up with her as she was about to fall. I threw out my arm. 

I grabbed her with a single fluid strong motion and she fell into my grasp as my hand moved to her waist. She let out a quiet gasp that warmed my throat. 

The scent hit me hard. 

I looked down. And there she was, wide-eyed. Lips are parted. Like midnight silk, long hair falls in a tumbling motion. Time paused. My wolf froze. I looked directly into the face of the person who was meant to be mine. 

My ribs slammed with my heart. For the first time, my heart started pounding against the wall of my chest.

My eyes widened in surprise.Was she..?
Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."Rosa's POV. 

"It is time Rosa."

My heart gave a mad jump and I spun around from the window.

For the first time in nearly three years I had heard those words spoken directly to me. Sharp, clipped resonating like a war horn through the room's stale silence. I slowly turned away from the window gripping the faded curtains with my fingers. 

The sunlight had long since started to feel cold and distant against my skin like the touch of a stranger. It had been since the end of the world that I had left this room, this gilded cage. Two unknown female gammas stood on either side of Lance, my ruthless brother who stood like a storm. 

He wore ceremonial black squared, his broad shoulders and had a fixed jaw. Compared to my memory he appeared older. more irate. Or perhaps I had lost the ability to read his facial expressions. 

My voice broke like parched leaves as I whispered "Lance..."I was more surprised than he was. "You're here."

He glanced at me, his eyes calculating and keen. "You look like a ghost."

"I believe I am one."

They looked away, the gammas. I was unconcerned. Let them see. Allow them to gaze at the girl who hasn't discussed anything in four years. I was that cursed girl, the girl whose scream was so loud that it shook the walls. The shadows darker than night had glowed in the hands of that person. 

"You are no longer a prisoner." he declared. "You will be introduced at tomorrow's mating ceremony."

My chest was slammed with my heart. "What?"

"You heard me." His boots clicked on the polished floor as he took a step deeper. "You've spent enough time imprisoned. Now is the moment for you to rejoin the pack."

"No." The word was stifling and silent as it reverberated inside me. 

My whole body shook. Not able to breathe. "No." I muttered out loud. "You can't be serious."

"It's been fixed,Rosa. Tomorrow you will be given to your mate."

I felt my blood freezing. "He's not even someone I know." Before I could stop myself I raised my voice. "You can't just share me like-like an offering!"

Lance's mouth formed a shape that was not quite a smile. "You have freedom my dear sister."

"Freedom?" I chuckled, arid and resentful. "Do you call this, locking me up for four years and then dropping me like a cursed relic into someone else's hands?"

He turned his gaze away from me and toward the window that I had been gazing out of all day. "On the day our parents passed away you locked yourself in."

"You did in fact." I took a step forward clenching my fists. "I was in mourning. I didn't understand. I was- I was hesitant."

I could still feel the memory of that day in my lungs like smoke. The power had emerged from me in a monstrous manner. Not under control. crazy. Terrible. 

"I was the reason you were scared."

He did not dispute it. Any admission was overshadowed by his silence. He said icily "Remember what you did Rosa?. Because I do, do you recall what it looked like when you lost control? You were a freaking curse and you still are. I saw the shadows scuttling like poison from your skin as you screamed. You think I'll let that get away with it?"

My knees gave way under me. "It wasnt me" I trembled and whispered. "I didn't intend to. I had no idea what was going on."

He snarled his voice cutting through me "You never do. . You've been in here for that reason since the others didn't want to perish in their beds."

I gasped and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces as tears welled up in my eyes. His words struck like ice water to the face for their cruelty. He was terrified of more than just me. He detested me. He always had.

With tears in my eyes I choked out "I didn't kill anyone .I didn't-" 

Lance cut me off. "But you could have" he remarked acerbically. "You're not even sure who you are. What is that thing within you? So don't lecture me about grief or fairness. When no one else was willing to keep you alive I did. And this is how you pay me back? By being weak and complaining?"

Then he looked at the gammas. "Prepare her. Get her ready for tomorrow."

With a nod they went to the closet and took out furs and silks. One of them with an unreadable expression threw a pale silver gown onto the bed. As if it were a noose I gazed at it. 

Elira, my maid , had been my only companion for four years. We didn't even talk at that point. She would bring food, do some quiet cleaning and go. I wished she would not speak. Nobody should in my opinion. 

After my parents' deaths words had lost their meaning. Everything was there. Just standing by that window would sometimes cause me to lose hours or even days. observing the forest that sways outside the pack's boundaries, pondering the sensation of freedom. 

I'm unsure if I truly earned it. I had been alone both inside and out with only shadows. Every day got darker as I slept to my own thoughts and woke up to silence.

Occasionally the mirror would suddenly break. Things occasionally shook, floated or broke. My feelings had become angular. My claws, my thoughts. As much for their safety as for mine they had kept me in this room. 

Just like that? They wanted to send me off to a stranger now? I choked back a sob.

I said "Please Lance."I was now trembling when I spoke. "Is it impossible for you to identify him? To whom am I being given?"

He was already walking to the door, with cruelty and power trailing behind him like a cloak, he was even more fearful than the past four years he'd shut me off from the pack and their hateful rumors.

Halfway to the door, he stopped and placed his hand on the frame. I thought for a second that he would ignore me once more. 

He turned slightly. A cruel smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Perhaps it was sympathy or victory. I was no longer able to tell. 

"You'll find out soon enough, dear sister."