Serena’s POV
The loud, persistent knocking on the door shattered the peace of my sleep. It felt like I’d been plagued by nightmares all night, and just when I was about to get some rest, I was interrupted. The unfairness of it all!
"Go away!" I grumbled, pulling the thin blanket over my head, willing the unwanted intruder to leave. But the knocking didn’t stop. If anything, it grew louder and louder as the seconds ticked by.
With a frustrated sigh, I opened my eyes and tossed the blanket aside, swinging my legs over the bed. I got to my feet, blinking and trying to clear my foggy mind from the lingering sleep as I stumbled towards the door.
I opened the door, squinting against the dim light from the hallway, and found myself face-to-face with a timid girl in a maid's uniform. She looked at me with wide blue eyes and gave a small nod.
"Good morning," she greeted in a quiet voice. "Alpha Kaidon has summoned you."
Her words were just the thing I needed to clear every trace of sleep that clouded my vision. My eyes widened as if I had been hit with a splash of ice-cold water as reality finally dawned on me.
This was it. I was almost sure of why Alpha Kaidon was summoning me. I would learn whether I’d be allowed to stay in the Rykor pack, or if I’d be cast out.
“Th-thank you,” I managed to stutter out. "I’ll be outside in a few minutes."
The girl nodded and remained where she stood. It was obvious that she wasn’t leaving this place without me. I sighed, shutting the door and leaning against it. My chest heaved as memories of last night resurfaced: how I had lowered myself before Kaidon and begged him. He had listened with a conflicted expression, only to walk away without a single word.
Dear Selene, please, let him accept me. I whispered a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, which was necessary, as only Divine intervention could thaw the cold Alpha.
With a heavy sigh, I moved towards the small, cramped bathroom. I undressed, turning on the shower and letting the cold water shock me fully awake, and quickly scrubbed myself clean, making an effort to look as presentable as possible. I dried off, glancing at the worn dress that was the only clothing I had left. It was far from elegant, but it was all I had, and I had no choice but to make it work.
My eyes landed on an old, nearly broken comb left behind in the corner. I grabbed it, running it carefully through my hair, trying to tame the unruly strands until they were smooth. After that, I stared at my reflection in the cracked mirror. It wasn’t much, and I still looked like crap, but I had little choice.
With a final deep breath, I turned, pulling the door open. The maid was still there, leaning on the wall and waiting patiently.
"Are you ready?" She straightened when she saw me.
"Not really, but I don’t have much of a choice, do I?" I chuckled.
“You’re catching on pretty fast.” The maid’s lips stretched in a small grin, and then she turned, leading me through the hallways of the Alpha's palace. With each step, I tried to steady my breathing, keeping my gaze focused on the path ahead.
Finally, we stood outside a set of tall black steel doors.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to stop here. I can’t go any further.” The maid paused, murmuring just barely enough for me to hear. I could see the look of fear in her eyes, and I knew it could only be caused by one person.
"Thank you," I murmured, offering a quiet thanks, and turned, placing a hand on the cool surface of the door. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, then pushed the door open and stepped into what I guessed would be the Alpha's throne room.
The room was cavernous, the walls lined with tall, narrow windows where sunlight streamed in, casting golden patterns across the floor. At the end of the room sat Alpha Kaidon, reclined on his throne, his head propped on one hand, eyes closed as though he was deep in thought. The vastness of the room made his silence feel almost oppressive, as though every inch of space was filled with his presence alone.
“Well…here goes.” I gulped, taking a step forward, yet he didn’t move. I took another step, then another, then five more, but he showed no reaction, sitting as still as a stone statue.
"Should I wake him up?" I considered, as my hands twitched involuntarily before I clenched them into fists. What was I thinking? It would be suicide. Besides, I only had one shot at convincing him to let me stay—I couldn’t afford any mistakes.
And so, I stood, waiting patiently before him as my mind drifted. Not long after, his eyes slowly opened—piercing gray and steely as they settled directly on me, freezing me in place.
Quickly, I dropped to one knee, bowing my head low as I stammered, "Alpha."
He didn’t respond. The silence continued to stretch, and I dared a quick glance at him, hoping for some kind of reaction because all this suspense was…killing me.
"You…summoned me?" I cleared my throat and asked.
For a moment, I thought he might ignore me again, but he finally nodded, his gaze still fixed on me. "Yes, I did."
"I haven't made a decision yet regarding your stay here. You have five minutes to convince me why I should make someone like you a member of the Rykor pack. I'm listening."
My heart skipped three beats. Five minutes. That was all the time I was given to plead my case—something I had never expected.
My mind went into overdrive, thinking of things to say, but everything I could think of fell short. Promises of loyalty and service, assurances that I would be useful…they all felt a bit hollow and empty.
Then, my mind conjured up an image: Draven betraying me in the worst way possible, killing my family in cold blood. Fresh rage and pain surged forth as I clenched my fists, the words finally clicking into place.
"Alpha Kaidon." I lifted my head to meet Kaidon's gaze. "I have nothing. I am no one. Not anymore. My past is ashes, and there is nothing left of the life I knew."
I took a deep breath to compose myself, but the rage I felt still surged within like a tempest.
"But if you were to allow me into your pack, this place…your people…they would become my everything. I would not serve because it’s expected. I would serve because it is all I have left. Because it is all I am."
I bowed, pressing my forehead against the floor. "I would dedicate every breath, every step to this pack. Your pack would be my family, its enemies my own. I would live for it, fight for it, die for it—not because I have to, but because it would mean I belong somewhere again."
I paused, swallowing hard. "So if you let me stay, I swear on the ruins of my past—I will make your pack my life, my purpose, my loyalty beyond words."
I raised my head from the ground, and for a heartbeat, silence reigned between us. Kaidon had a thoughtful expression, his fingers drumming on the armrest of his throne.
"Very well, then," he finally spoke. "I will pass my—"
The door to the throne room was thrown open, interrupting his next words.