Alpha Kent

Evelyn POV

"Evelyn, it is time you meet the man who will be your mate. Come along." My mother walked away towards the hulking man that just entered the room. Though I had never seen him before, it couldn't be anyone else. That was Alpha Kent, alpha of the Blackwater pack.

He was a ruthless warrior, and ten years my senior. My mother must be joking. Just another example of her cruel and twisted sense of humor. I looked to my father in desperation, but he only looked back with sadness and pity in his eyes. He knew. This man knew what a mother was condemning her daughter to, and he was just watching it happen. My hands were clammy and I was breaking out into a cold sweat. My father began to walk in the direction after my mother and it was evident that I was expected to follow.

My blood ran cold as I neared the terrifying Alpha. His pack was known to be ruthless. Almost like the old stories of Vikings, they would rape and pillage other packs just for the fun of it. There was no doubt what my role would be. I wouldn't be his Luna. No, that would mean giving up or sharing some of his power as an Alpha. That is certainly not allowed. I would be his breeder, and I find it unlikely that consent is in his vocabulary.

As I walked closer I caught his eyes traveling up and down my body. Ashe was urgently pushing me in my head to run or find somewhere to go, far from this man. Even if he turns out to be our fated mate, it's not worth it. He will use us and break us. All I wanted to do was run away, but I knew the consequences and my mother wouldn't care that we were in a room full of people.

I was not the only member of my family to have a gift. My mother's is the gift of air. She can force a wind in a closed room, even still the breath from your lungs. That was always my punishment. If she didn't like what I was saying, she would simply cut off my airflow until I was close to passing out. As I walked closer to this man my mother was smiling up at, it was as if she constricted my lungs and they could no longer draw in. This man took my breath away in a most terrifying way.

"Ah, this must be the young Evelyn you have told me so much about Sasha." He turned to my mother, talking as if I was not there. The lurid looks he kept giving me were not missed either. He finally turned his full attention to me, and just like that, air, poof, gone. "How nice to meet you, Evelyn. I am Kent. Alpha of the Blackwater pack. It seems that we are going to become a lot closer. I'm looking forward to it."

I had to put all my focus into keeping a straight face; meanwhile, in my head, Ashe is already sobbing over our fate. "Oh?" I responded. I wanted him to have the impression that I had not even considered it. That this wasn't a done deal. It couldn't be.

"Oh, I'm sure of it," Alpha Kent's face darkened immensely, but slowly turned to a grin when he caught the tears threatening to leave my eyes.

Before anything else could happen, that arrogant voice from the other day butted in to diffuse the situation and distract the newcomer.

"Alpha Kent, we were not sure you would make it. We are happy to have you though. Would you like to rest? The Council is getting ready to begin, but I am sure you will not miss much," Noah smoothly slid into the middle of our little group that was occupying the center of the meeting space. It was then that I realized just how quiet the room had become. I could feel dozens of eyes on me, all looking down at me with pity or concern.

With Noah's interruption, I took the opportunity to slip away and scurry off to the corner of the room where the other Alpha and Beta children had congregated. My brother was off to the side with some other boys who would likely assume their father's positions. I yanked his arm harshly and pulled him away, much to his annoyance.

He opened his mouth to berate me when I cut him off, "Did you know?" He just looked down on me with confusion. "Did you know that mom was going to try to make me marry that brute Alpha Kent?" I jabbed at his chest with my finger for emphasis.

He then had the audacity to roll his eyes at me, "Of course, moron. It's a very useful alliance. It will make sure that the next time he and his pack go through a bout of homicidal rage we will not be the victims receiving it." He said it so matter-of-factly that I almost laughed hysterically, but I reigned in my chaotic emotions.

"So you have no problem throwing me away to some man twice my age that will rape me and beat me to his heart's desires. Who knows, after I give birth to his heir he may just kill me for the fun of it!" My voice reached an even higher pitch in my state of anxiety.

With that, my brother at least had the kindness to wince at my statement. "Evelyn, I don't know what you expect. We need this alliance for the safety of our pack. Throughout our correspondence, he has been more than eager to meet you. Perhaps he'll surprise us all and turn out to be a big ol' teddy bear with you." He gave me a half-hearted smile, but it was evident that he did not believe his own lies.

I scoffed and turned away, walking over to a group of young girls to hopefully distract myself, maybe cry some, and find out how the hell I am going to make it out of this alive.