Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

D ark blue walls with paintings surrounded by gold filigreed frames close in around me. Candelabras line the center of the long table and the lights are dimmed for ambience.

It's the kind of spread one does for a family holiday.

"You will be on your best behavior today." My Aunt's bony fingers dig into my arm.

Since the Alpha declared I return to their dwelling, leaving isn't an option. Yesterday's excursion only led

to a night of scrubbing the house until it sparkled.

"Or what? There's nothing to hold over my head when you already treat me like shit." I shake her hand off.

Her eyes bulge and I laugh. "Backed yourself in a corner, didn't you?" I can't hurt her, but I can

get under her skin, and that's just as well.

Her eyes narrow. "You will not embarrass us?—"

"Trust me, you do that all on your own." Disgusted, I scowl.

"Ungrateful—"

"Yes, I've heard this before. Time to get some new material. Or here's an idea." I smile. "Let me

go back to the life I worked so hard to build."

She turns away, but not before I can see the fear flashing in her eyes. What's going on here?

I run my hand down the dress. The silk material is too fine for a casual affair, and the silverware on the table rests on expensive white linen tablecloth.

"What's this?" I gesture toward the table.

"Dinner set up. Fold the napkins in a fan. If you can remember that." She sets heavy gold

napkin rings down on the wooden table with a thud, rattling the fine China.

"Why are we putting out all the finery?" I rock back on my heels.

"Because we're receiving a very important guest." She sniffs.

"Who?" My voice is hoarse. I'm afraid of her answer.

"The Alpha." My Uncle's heavy boots clop over the floor as he enters the living room with fire

wood. The fresh scent of cedar fills my nostrils.

"Why is he coming here?" He must want to check on the woman he's dragged back. We're at the bottom of the pack hierarchy. Normally we don't garner much attention.

"We don't know." My uncle shakes his head. "But we will treat him with the respect he deserves. That means setting a proper table with the best food and wine."

I hear the warning in his voice and fight my urge to flinch. Interacting with him is always a double-edged sword.

With his thick, wavy dark brown hair graying at the temples, strong jawline, and deep-set dark brown eyes, he resembles my father.

Dealing with his cold callous behavior, censure, and harshness feels like I've stepped through a looking glass, and wound up with a perverted version of my father.

I inhale the aroma of the lamb and vegetables cooking on the stove. Mutton and Cabbage is one of my favorite meals.

My stomach growls. At the least, I'll get a good meal out of his visit—and maybe I'll find out why he called me back home.

Alpha has always been a wise man who knows how to play the long game. I remind myself my father admired him, and he's led us through tumultuous times.

He was the leader in the forefront of the paranormal alliances. With the human world pressing in on every front, supernatural beings were forced to re-evaluate how we deal with each other.

Sworn enemies in an ongoing war that caused numerous casualties formed tentative truces. The enemy of my enemy is a friend was a motto that helped us form plans, organize meetings, and draft a code of conduct.

If one creature is discovered, it would be a matter of time before the rest of us are exposed. It keeps our dealings honest, but we don't trust each other beyond what's necessary for the survival of our races.

I plop onto the chair, smirking at the table when my aunt sucks her teeth at my un-lady-like behavior. She's always wanted a doll to dress, pose, and control.

I've never been that type of girl. My mind wanders as I let the muscle memory kick in. Finishing, I rise and arrange for the table set for five.

"Nice job. Get the serving platters out," my uncle says.

Each of us does our task with a sprinkling of polite conversation.

Life would've been better if his wife didn't run things with such a heavy hand. He's different when she's not present.

I often wonder if he works so hard to escape his life at home. Hell, the first chance I got, I ran and didn't look back.

A knock comes at the door twenty minutes later.

Taking my place beside my aunt, I stand in the receiving line. An enforcer enters first.

A giant of a man with shoulders like boulders, a scar across his left eye, and keen dark brown

eyes. Alphonse is known for his prowess. Completely devoted to our leader, he's forgone a mate. His large nostrils widen as he inhales and peers around the room.

Nodding his head, Alphonse steps inside. "It's safe to enter, Alpha."

What would it be like to possess senses like that? As a beta, I have watered-down abilities. My biggest regret is not being able to see life as the others do.

With their extra senses, color must be on an entirely different spectrum. I long to paint with those shades in mind.

"Thank you for having me over for dinner tonight, Terrel. Gerda."

Alpha shakes their hands. He stops in front of me, pinning me to the spot with his intense blue gaze.

"And Ylva. Welcome home." The lines around his eyes and mouth should be warm, but there's a cruel set to him. His dark golden blonde hair is brushed back, putting his oval-shaped face front and center.

"Thank you, Alpha." I clasp my hands behind my back to keep from fidgeting.

"I understand you didn't want to return?" Alpha inclines his head.

"No, Alpha. The village has never been kind to me and I had a life full of art to lead." I'm honest, but respectful.

He grunts. "Perhaps you'll find things have changed."

I bite my tongue until it bleeds.

"Please, sit, and allow us to feed you, Alpha," Uncle Terrel steps in, breaking the mounting tension.

"It smells delicious, Gerda"

"Thank you, Alpha." Even I can smell the pheromones she's giving off. She might as well lay down on her back and show him her belly to scratch. I glance up and find Alphonse smirking.

I try not to choke. With the treatment I received since my parents' death I stopped buying into the prospect of following our leader blindly.

The way they beg for scraps of his attention sickens me. Embarrassed, I duck my head trying not to think about what the enforcer thinks about me.

We wait for the Alpha to take his place at the head of the table and take our seats accordingly. The dishes are passed around as my aunt and uncle trade meaningless information with our guests.

I tune out as they discuss local matings, plans for the community, and the weather. This is the niceties portion of the evening.

When we're full, I stand and gather the plates, taking them to the sink. Hurrying back, I sit, and place my hands in my lap.

Alpha clears his throat, and the table goes quiet.

Finally, he'll speak his mind.

"I know you're curious about why I called this meeting."

"We're honored to have you here, Alpha," Uncle Terrel responds.

"Things have been rocky for the packs for a while. Births are happening less, and the power in the bloodlines is diluting." They gaze at me and I tilt my head up.

I won't feel shame for things I have no control over. I grip the material of my dress under the table. Anxiety slicks my palms.

"We've lost every female born in the past five years to the sickness."

"Every one?" The number is staggering. Things have gotten worse.

The Alpha nods. "None lived past a week. We've also lost ten percent of the females in the thirteen to sixteen range. Those who survived the illness were made sterile."

We're fading faster than I imagined. The picture painted is grim. "I didn't know," I whisper.

"You wouldn't have. We've kept a tight lid on it. Weakness revealed is a request to be attacked." He

exhales. "A few months ago, we had a breakthrough. The Volva received a message from the gods — a

prophecy. We considered every angle carefully. It all comes back to Ylva."

I jerk, bumping into the table. "Excuse me?" The words fly free before I can stifle them.

"You're the one mentioned in the prophecy who can turn things around for us," Alpha explains.

"You understand I'm the weakest wolf here, right?" I glance around the table. "This is insane."

"Ylva," Aunt Gerda hisses.

"No," Alpha holds up a hand. "Let her speak her mind."

"I've spent my entire life being made very aware of the disappointment I caused with my birth.

I'm too slow and weak for the Thostenson pack," I spit the words drilled into my head

back at him.

"You come in using heavy-handed tactics to capture me against my will on some off chance I might fit into whatever tale the pack's magic practitioner has spun for you?" I slam my fist onto the table, rattling the glasses.

Panting I grip the edge of the table. Struggling to control myself I close my eyes."

"You don't believe in divination?" There's condescension in the Alpha's voice.

"I think it can be twisted to fit many agendas," I flirt with insult as I deliver carefully chosen words.

He grunts. "Not this time." Alpha turns to my uncle. "Stoke the fire. Tonight, we burn the sacred

herbs, and honor the old ways. We'll speak with the Volva. She'll show you like she

did to me." Alpha nods. "Then you will believe and understand."

My aunt and uncle preen, proud peacocks. They eat up every word.

You'd think they were the chosen ones . Disgusted, I scowl at them. Our witch practices the Norse magic, seidr. Part magic, clairvoyance, they have connections with the lands and their spirit. The ancient practice has served us well.

Why does it matter? No one's ever cared one way or another what I wanted.

"I want to speak with the youngling alone."

I sit up straight in my chair, pressing against the cool wood.

"The girl's been gone for so long, Alpha. She might not remember the proper way to interact

with you."

Aunt Gerda is a simpering fool as she speaks in a sugary sweet tone.

"I remember her family. She knows."

His sharp words silence my aunt.

"Come, wife. Let us prepare." They exit, leaving me along with the enforcer and the Alpha with an unhealthy interest in me.

"We've not done right by you."

I blink, feeling like the world's glitched. "Pardon?"

"We allowed you to get lost in the shuffle after your family perished. It was a dishonor to your father. He was a faithful pack member, always ready and willing to help those who needed it. I know that's colored your view of the pack." He steeples his fingers together.

"We're living in trying times. The majority of my energy has gone to keeping us afloat and forging new alliances. I can admit that's left things to be desired here at home."

"Why are you telling me this?" I don't trust his sudden benevolence. It doesn't fit who he is.

"Because I need you to understand what it looks like to do things for the whole of the pack."

Warning bells clang loudly in my head like a church steeple at the start of an hour. He's prepping

me for bad news. I remain silent, still focused on the lines in his brow.

"You hold the pack's future in your hands?—"

Hysterical laughter bursts free. Had the universe come back and bitch slapped the Alpha like that?

The ignored and mistreated one of the pack now has the ultimate say. I cover my mouth with my hands, eyes wide.

"I-I'm sorry. This is just ridiculous."

His eyebrows hike. I know he hears me just fine.

"It was a shock to me as well," his lips twitch.

I lower my hands into my lap, interlacing my fingers. "This has to be a misunderstanding."

"It's not."

"She's here." My uncle steps in with a long white-haired woman behind him.

Dressed in a rough-hewn dark blue dress she has a Fenrir necklace. Runes drawn down her bare arms; she's an awe-inspiring vision.

"You've returned."

"I didn't have much of a choice." Sarcasm drips from my words.

"We all reap what we sow. The wheel rolls around and everyone gets a turn."

Her words spark my interest. "The wheel of the year?"

The woman has always intimidated me. With eyes so pale they look translucent; her aura is off-putting. Her power surrounds her like an invisible barrier.

"Yes. But of life as well." She beckons me. "Come. Join me at the fire."

I rise, casting an inquiring look at the Alpha.

"Go," he commands.

Stepping outside, the cedar smoke from the fire ring of stones fills the air.

The Volva opens the brown bag on her hip and pulls out a mixture of herbs. Pitching them into the fire causes the flames to grow blue and jump higher.

The strange blend tickles my nose and makes my head muggy.

"This will allow us to speak with the gods who created us." How can so much power fit into such a tiny body? Thin and wizened, she's petite and barely five-foot-six.

Raising her arms above her head, she begins a shuffling dance around the flames. Dizzy, I sink onto a log around the fire.

Humming she spreads the smoke around with an ash wand. I'm rocking to her rhythm when she pauses in front of me.

" The least will lead when the blood moon rises. Daughter of Fenrir will awaken and decide the

fate of the pack ." Her voice is hollow.

She's a vessel for something more powerful than the human shape can contain. Thunder rolls in the distance and lightning flashes overhead.

I feel the truth in her words as magic passes through me. My eyelids drift closed.

I slip into an altered state of being. Lost in the recess of my mind, I'm surrounded by darkness.

A bright light falls over me. I turn slowly, finding myself in a cavern.

I follow the torches lining the wall.

Darkness lifts, and I see a circular section of light. I quicken my pace, speeding toward the exit from the stagnant space.

Fresh air drifts across my face. I tilt my head toward the moon standing out in the cloudy sky. Craggy volcanic rock covers the surface.

White bell-shaped flowers spring up through the cracks in the ground. The pleasant aroma of mint and chamomile mixed with a hint of lavender soothes my nerves.

Carefully making my way over the uneven surface, I follow my gut and travel to the left with the ocean on my right. Dark waves froth up and kiss the land.

I'm on an island. Metal clinks against metal in the distance. A massive dark shape rises before me. The wolf inside me grows restless.

In deference, the she-wolf acknowledges a power greater than my own. Clouds shift, and moonlight shines directly on the entity.

A giant wolf bound in chains, surrounded by flowers so dense they look like a blanket of snow, comes into view. It fixes its red-on-black gaze at me and I pause, going to one knee.

"Fenrir," I whisper, bowing my head.

First of our kind, and king of all werewolves, he was born of the god of mischief, Loki, and a giant.

The god wolf is predicted to kill Odin, the Norse gods feared the great wolf, and began a love-hate relationship that doomed them to the fate they wished to avoid.

I can't help but feel sympathy. He was doomed the moment the prophecy was made. Those who feared them, cause their eventual demise with their shitty treatment.

Keeping him close, they spent a lifetime trying to find a way to leash him. Powerful, he broke through every supposed prison, until a pair of chains were forged by the same dwarves who'd created Thor's hammer, Mjolnir.

Distrustful, he agreed to be bound by the chains only if someone he trusted put their hand in his mouth. Tyrr, god of war and strife, and son of Odin volunteered. He'd trapped his friend and lost his hand in the process.

Here he waits on the volcanic island until he breaks free, and brings about the end of the world, known as Ragnar?k.

"Daughter, come closer." His deep baritone echoes in my mind.

I rise on shaking legs and move closer. "Am I hallucinating?"

He huffs what sounds like laughter. "No. You are descended from my line. The last of my lineage in

your pack."

"Is that why you chose me?"

"Fate does not always give us a choice, so I extend the offer to you I did not have. Release me and bring about the end, or stay and accept your role."

"What do you mean?"

"Be the mother who ushers in a new age of abundance and renewal, or the start of the fall."

"How?"

"By accepting your true birthright. It's there. Hidden under layers and repressed by your own

desire to hide away."

"And if I release you, what happens?"

"The time of the magical beings on this planet runs out." His nonchalance is chilling.

"Ragnar?k?" I gasp, breath stolen from my lungs as electricity races through my veins.

He inclines his head. "Many things must align for this to come to pass, but you

Would be the first tipping point. Shall the pack fall, the effect will be kin to dominos for the

supernatural community. This is our test; the others will have their own."

I spent my adult life seeking an exit from the pack that never wanted me. Now my exodus would

spell the death of millions.

Stomach clenching, I think of people like Fell and his family who accepted me and strove to

make a good living. There are plenty of good people who deserve a chance to live out their

existence.

Bowing my head, I curse my empathetic soul. "I want to save them."

"Every hero must sacrifice along their journey. No victory comes without pain." Fenrir bows his head and an energy rushes through me.

I collapse. My body starts spazzing. I drop to the hard ground as pulses of energy continue to run through my body. Nerves fire, and my screams echo in my ears.