Chapter 6: A fair Morning Turned Foul

The following morning was a beautiful one. We were still in the early moments of dawn, the first rays of golden morning sun only just creeping up over the horizon. They filtered through the branches of the trees outside my window, filling my room with glorious light that flickered and danced with every little breeze.

I lay my sheets flat on my bed and splashed my face with some cold water before picking up my bow and arrow.

It's been weeks since I last went for a hunt. But now that we had grain, there was less need to preserve the wild animals so it was time to treat myself - especially considering how sour this morning was inevitably going to turn later on when Alpha Rivers returns and drags us deeper into his shady deal. 

I had to make the most of it now.

"Morning, Esme," a voice said as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

I froze. It wasn't as familiar as Rose and Tobias's voices but it wasn't entirely unfamiliar either.

Deep and cold. Undertones of condescending sarcasm.

Alpha Rivers.

I spun around to the direction of his voice to see him stood leisurely leaning against the wall of the hall with his arms folded across his chest.

I clutched my bow and stared at him.

"Interesting item to bring to a peace talk," he said looking down at my weapon.

"You're early," I observed, "Four hours early. Do the Alpha and Luna know you're here?"

A sly smile crept onto his face, "Yes. In fact, your brother's making tea."

Just then Tobias appeared from the kitchen, two mugs of steaming tea in his hand.

"Esme, good you're awake," Tobias said handing Alpha Rivers one, "There's been a change of plan. We're discussing the deal now."

The audacity that man had.

To come into our home unannounced, practically at night, and expect us to be okay with it. He was already walking over us.

And as I watched him and Tobias both took a sip from their mugs, standing next to each other as if they were close friends, it appears my brother was going to let him.

I forced a smile, "I'll be back in half an hour when you've finished your nice chit-chat over your lovely cup of tea and are ready to remember who we are dealing with."

Alpha Rivers let out a short laugh as Tobias raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tobias asked.

"I mean that unlike you Tobias, I am only willing to be as civil as is necessary for peace. I will not forget what he has done, I will not trust him and I am certainly not going to be his friend," I replied. "It's also practically still the middle of the night and we agreed to do this at 9 am."

Alpha Rivers looked down at me with stony eyes, his only movement being the rising and falling of his chest as he breathed, "What makes you think you can speak to me with such disrespect?" he asked.

I looked into his eyes and felt the sudden need to swallow. I then looked back to Tobias who was watching me, waiting for my response in silence.

I clenched my jaw and darted my eyes back to Alpha Rivers for a brief second, "I wasn't speaking to you at all," I told him.

I could feel Alpha Rivers stare still on me but I refused to entertain it any longer than a few seconds before turning back to Tobias.

"Esme, that is enough," Tobias said finally dragging Alpha Rivers attention back to him.

He watched my brother intently as if he was urging him to snap at me more.

But of course, he didn't. We just stood in awkward silence for a few moments more before I turned on my heel.

"I'll see you later," I said as I turned to the door.

"Esme, please," Tobias said, "You can not walk away from this."

"I'm in no mood to talk peace now anyway," I called. "Try not to agree to anything stupid!"

"There's nothing I love more than family drama," Alpha Rivers remarked under his breath as he sipped his tea a look of thorough entertainment on his lips.

I slammed the door and marched into the forest, fueled by anger. The adrenaline heightened my senses and it was only minutes before I tracked down a rabbit. But with so much built-up frustration, I fumbled with my arrows, getting annoyed and irritated as I angrily tried to position them. My aim was usually immaculate but I missed by a long shot. The rabbit scarpered and I was left feeling even more pissed off than before.

How dare he come into our home at such an ungodly hour and still expect hospitality after everything he's done? How could Tobias just let him walk over us like this?

It was three hours before I could bring myself to return home. I'd quickly given up my hunt and taken to sitting by a lake as the water calmly lapped at my feet on the sandy shore. Alpha Rivers, fortunately, was long gone but as I entered, I was only greeted by Rose.

I walked into the kitchen where she sat smiling at me as she looked up from her book.

Tobias stood by the worktop kneading some dough with more force than strictly necessary and refused to even acknowledge my presence.

"So what happened?" I asked.

"You'd know if you were here..." Tobias muttered.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Well the positives are these: every week he will bring us ten bags of grain for as long as we need it. He has also promised that no further harm will come to our pack as a result of him or his men. The rivalry has ended. Lastly, for now, he wants nothing in exchange."

"For now...? What are the negatives?"

Rose greeted her teeth.

"He refused to give up any further detail about the force he faces but he said that when the time comes we will fight alongside the Pheonix pack as a united force. He said we are likely to suffer many losses and total defeat of both packs is not unlikely."

"Oh, so nothing too catastrophic then!" I remarked, my eyes turning to Tobias.

"He left us no choice, Esme," Tobias sighed finally having mercy on the bread dough and turning to face me, "This wasn't a negotiation. This was him laying down what he wants and giving us the choice to either take it exactly as it was or nothing. And nothing meant no peace, no food and no protection from his enemy who will apparently come straight for us after him."

I slumped down in a chair, "We're totally fucked," I said. "And when we join forces...please tell me we are not under his command."

"No," Tobias said.

Finally some good news.

"We are fighting with him, not for him," he replied. "He won't have authority over any of us. Not me, not Rose, not you."

I nodded, "Good."