Chapter 1: The Vale

XANNON:

Present Day.

“Uncle, do you enjoy having your cock sucked?” Xaden asks Damek Beverion, the Lycan King of the Vale, which is the capital of Evencrest city.

My brother seldom has a filter, and sometimes, he lacks a working brain. We are far from home, being housed by the Red Dawn pack. After someone attacked and killed our father in Crowngate city, we fled before it was too late. 

They may not have finished off the Beverions of the Silent Winter pack, but they will return to end what they’ve started. And we don’t even know who the enemy is. Yet.

I clear my throat. “Excuse Xaden, Uncle. He’s had a long month since we left Crowngate, grieving.” 

Xaden scoffs, curling his lips into a mocking smile, but he stays silent. I’m glad his brain boots again and reminds him of whose roof houses us now.

In a few moments, I will realise I spoke too soon about my brother.

“No, it’s alright.” Alpha Damek chuckles in his seat on the long table while his servants serve breakfast. “What man doesn’t enjoy a good time, Xaden?”

“Eunuchs.” Xaden laughs at his joke while the room is silent. “Dead men. Men without cocks like Wade. I can think of a few more, Uncle.”

“My nephew has a rather creative mind.”

Wade, beta of the Silent Winter pack and our cousin, stands uneasy behind my brother Xander’s seat. He’s smothering a frown because it’s not the first time Xaden has made fun of him. It won’t be the last time, either.

“Why don’t we ask Wade what his idea of a good time is?” My brother suddenly gasps, dark amusement shining in his eyes. “What if it is his hole doing the deed and not the other way around.”

“Xaden,” I growl.

He grins. 

“What is it, Xannon?”

“This is neither the time nor the place. If you are sex-deprived, go fuck and let us mourn father in peace.”

Xaden quiets down when I mention our father. I understand that being an asshole is his way of dealing with grief, but he also knows how important meeting our Uncle today is. 

Xander only observes our exchange. Most of the time, I’m the one who’s laid back and always observing, but the situation now is different. Someone killed our father. We will be next.

“Oh, you worry too much about me,” Xaden mocks.

“Why won’t I?” I snark, “You are a brainless pup who will jump into fire if Xander and I don’t keep you in check!”

“Fuck you—”

“Uncle, I think our brother Xaden means to discuss our rules of engagement and not cocks.” Xander brings order back to the table.

Alpha Damek points at Wade and then at the seat at my side. He’s family, too. We shouldn’t make him stand like a sentry while we eat and drink.

Damek tastes the wine served and puts Wade in the spotlight as soon as he sits down. 

“What happened when you visited the Alpha of the MoonFall pack?” 

“The MoonFall pack is willing, Uncle. I made sure of that.”

A vein in my forehead ticks from how hard I’m frowning. 

The last thing I want is to be mated to anyone.

♤

The sun rays kiss my skin, warming the invisible ice freezing my heart over. I’m staring out the fixed window, but I don’t see the view I’ve beheld every morning since we came to Evencrest city a month ago. I’m lost in my thoughts, scared of them even.

“I’m certain you are extremely happy about this, Xannon,” Xaden says behind me.

His voice jerks me out of my thoughts. I blink at the view, seeing the green backyard lawn and colourful flowers again. The Red Dawn pack house is a beautiful place. More beautiful than the home I’ve known all my life.

“What makes you think I’m happy?”

“You like commitment. You’ve never been a fan of casual fucks. This is good for you.”

Is it? 

I hear the bite in his voice, and I know the entire idea of settling down has Xaden scared stiff.

My eyes fall to my feet. “I don’t think I am.”

“I am sure I’m not.” Xaden rolls right on in a tight, low voice. “We were so sure the MoonFall pack wouldn’t agree to Wade’s sick plan. I came to that table today to ask Uncle to find us another way out.”

“We, Xaden. We came to that table this morning to ask Uncle Damek for another way out.” Xander’s tight, husky voice shuts him up.

There’s no other way out, though. That’s what we confirmed during breakfast.

The girl’s family’s crest is a dragon. Fire lives in them. We suspect it can protect us from the poison slowly eating us alive.

“Mating with the girl Wade proposed might lengthen the time before the poison destroys us.” I turn to them, and I’m not surprised at what I find. “But more time is not a permanent solution.”

There’s a naked woman sucking Xaden’s cock with vigour and Xander’s eyes are fixed on the scene like his life depends on it. I rest against a wall, crossing my ankles and folding my arms over my chest, uninterested.

“We are going to die, then...” Xaden grunts, his hips buck on the banquet chair. He’s close. “Fuck! Fuck death.”

Xander can finally look away. “I am curious about what she looks like, though.”

“I bet she’s going to be ugly.” Xaden adds in a lazy, lust-thickened voice.

We laugh, and I say, “How about hot as hell and a terrible pain in the ass?”

Wade comes into our lounge in the pack house, disrupting our profiling of the girl we’ve been betrothed to. In his hands are three sets of blank name-tags in transparent waterproof nylons.

The busty, naked girl, sitting across Xaden’s thighs, wears her robe back and leaves the room. All eyes are on Wade and what the fuck he’s bringing to us now.

He says, “Now that we’ve settled down in Evencrest, there’s something every supernatural creature your age does while they are here.”

“What’s that?” Xaden frowns.

“School.” He hands each of us a tag.

My brothers and I have horror written all over our faces. For the years we lived in Crowngate, we never had to go to school. This is an unwelcome challenge.

Of all the three cities that make up Solantis, Crowngate has been known for its lacklustre laws and laid back lifestyles. Nothing is forced on anyone. Sadly, this place is different.

“Emron Aranal built the Starweaver Academy for the elite echelon in Solantis. It is open to only students from the most famous and influential families, a.k.a, families with crests.” Wade sounds fascinated by his words, but also elated about our open misery. “As the new Alphas of the Silent Winter pack, you Beverions must blend in and keep a low profile until the time is right.”