Together

When I wake, I get myself ready. May had brought me some clothes this morning. All the contestants were given general clothing as they were only allowed to bring one small bag each.

Breakfast was awkward. Some of the women were looking at me like I didn't belong here. I heard the whispers and complaints because Alpha Kellan had sat with me during my interview.

That alone has already started to make the women complain and pinpoint me as a troublemaker. Yet, I've noticed they are more brutal to the other ladies.

It appears they think I'm not a threat. Which is likely correct. They don't think I can possibly get through and become Luna, so while they are all taking bites out of each other and trying to make each other feel like crap.

I'm here untouched. Sure, I get called  mutt and Tramp, but it's far less than they are throwing at each other.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

I'm sitting in the garden with Sage. It's still snowing. Something tells me this isn't going to stop any time soon. Yet the palace gardens look stunning right now.

"So, which pack are you from?" I smile at her.

"Darkwood." She glances at me. "Have you heard of it?"

"Can't say I have, but I haven't heard of any. I didn't really get a chance to speak to others."

"This." She waves her arms around. "Is for my father. He seems to think I would be a good Luna for the king. I think I would be a better Luna for someone else who isn't."

"Then why did you come?" If she doesn't want to be, why is she here?

"My father isn't well. I will become Alpha when he dies, as he didn't have a son. It was his wish that I come here. He is convinced I will be chosen."

"You have as much chance as the others." She does, and certainly more than me.

"See, I stand out from most of the other women. My pack isn't wealthy. We're not made of money, so I am at the bottom compared to the other contestants."

I want to tell her that it makes no difference, but I feel like it does. Sure, it said everyone is equal and has as much chance of winning as the others, but I don't think that is true. After all, it is the king himself who decides who wins and goes.

"They are jealous, you know." Turning, I look at Sage, confused. "This morning, before you joined us for breakfast, they were clearly jealous that Alpha Kellan sat with you for the video. Not because it gave you leverage but because many here want him just as much as the king."

"He was being polite, that is all. He kept saying that the producer made the king and royal family look bad and didn't want it to happen." He wasn't there because he wanted to be with me. More to protect his and the king's reputation.

"We should get in. William will be announcing the next event." I nod at her words and follow her through. I hope the next event doesn't include that producer as the central part. If so, I have a feeling it will be a long, painful day for me.

We join the other women, and the whispers instantly begin.

"Watch when they come in, you will see." I turn, hearing Aurora. Her eyes glare at me. Well, I'm still hated. I laugh it off and wait.

"Ladies, the king himself will be announcing the next event. He will arrive any moment." William steps back, and I watch as Kellan walks in. His eyes glance across the contestants and land on me. He holds my gaze and smiles while winking.

"See." I hear Aurora and look at her, breaking away from the eye contact.

"Alpha Kellan and Alpha Prime Darius spent exactly three seconds looking at each contestant yesterday; apparently, Darius spent ten seconds looking at you, and Kellan apparently kept having his eyes on you," Sage whispers.

"Someone timed their looks?" What the fuck?

"The producer, apparently, so everyone knows."

"They were only looking at me for so long, questioning why I got here." Nothing more than that.

"Ladies." We all look towards Kellan. He loses everyone's attention except for mine; however, when the door opens, and the king walks in. Kellan's eyes come to me, and he smiles.

"He actually likes you." Turning, I look at Sage. "Seriously, he hardly ever smiles." She laughs, but I know he doesn't. He's been kind to make sure they keep up appearances.

"Afternoon." I watch Darius stand on the stage. "The next event will be now." Everyone gasps. "It will not happen until we eliminate those who didn't make the last round."

"Bye, Mutt." Aurora glares at me.

"Now, I believe we said those with the less time on camera would be going home. However, that changed." Yeah, as I thought, because I had more time on the camera, the only way to remove me was to change the rules for winning.

"As my brother Darius said, we're changing it. You get points based on how well your broadcast went. How many views it had, comments, and interaction."

I watch as the producer holds out the paper, and Kellan takes it. He glances down and turns his gaze back to him. I watch as he leans into Darius and talks. They both look at the paper, and their eyes go from the producer to me.

Anxiety builds within me.

"Well, I think it's clear who lost." Selene laughs.

"They could be wrong." Sage hugs me.

"I'm sorry, ladies, there will be a delay in reporting the winners and losers. After personal checks this morning, it appears the results we were handed are fake." Everyone gasps, and we watch as the producer is dragged out.

Everyone begins to speculate what was changed and why. They all assume the producer fixed it to put me at the top. Apparently, keeping a wolfless mutt here helps the family's appearance.

I couldn't see the producer making it, so I won. He hated me. A while later, Kellan and Darius walked back in, this time with another sheet of paper.

"Let's begin." Kellan looks at us.

"Elara had the most views, comments, and such." Everyone looks at me.

"The second person is Aurora." I listen to them list the names, and Sage is through.

The lowest two, Nova and Raven, were told they got the lower scores and were to leave. Kellan and Darius keep our attention on them, not giving the women a chance to snap at me. They will.

"The second event. Myself and Kellan will be staying here, and we will personally introduce ourselves to each lady. We will then choose which lady sits next to us while we eat tonight."

"This means ladies, please continue to socialise. We will come to you. Please do not follow us around, continue with your own conversations, and we will come and join in." Kellan smiles, and they walk off the stage.

"Congrats." I hug Sage. She was low on the list, but at least not at the bottom.

"I expected it. The bigger the pack, the more interaction they would get." Which is wrong. The only reason I got any views, no doubt, is because I am wolfless, and people wonder how I got here.

"It's wrong. Alpha Kellan sat with her; of course, she got more views with a prince on her side." Lyra glares at me.

"I can assure you that Elara's views weren't for Kellan. The comments alone show people watched for her, not him." King Darius looks at her. "If you believe it was so unfair, we will arrange another one sometime where you all have him sat with you."

Lyra closes her mouth and I have to stop myself from laughing. She got caught out acting in a way that a true Luna and queen wouldn't.

"I apologise, Your Highness; I didn't mean any disrespect, just an observation that I am sure the future Luna of the King would make."

Stepping forward, I look at her. "A Luna would collect all the facts before making assumptions. She also wouldn't speak out against the king and prince, marking their actions unfair."

"She would if she had a brain." Lyra snaps at me.

"Ladies, please." Kellan steps between us and laughs. "Darius, I believe you haven't met Elara." He points to me, steps around us and faces Lyra.

"I had not, no." Darius rolls his eyes. "It's nice to meet you, Elara." He holds out his hand, and I shake it.

"It is nice to meet you, your Highness."

"Please, just call me Darius while we're in such relaxed conditions. I wanted to apologise for your treatment yesterday from the staff, it wasn't very...Welcoming."

"It is fine, honestly. I wasn't hurt or offended." I've given up on getting hurt and offended.

"Even if you weren't, it was wrong." He points to a seat, and I walk over and sit down. He moves to sit next to me. "May I know where your wolf is?"

Ah, of course, he is going to ask that. "I'm not sure. It was taken while I was young. I can't remember." I can. I can remember the pain as it was pulled from me. I can't say it was Alpha Draven, though; there is a chance when I lose this and leave, he will grab me.

The last thing I want is to make him more angry.

"It's a shame, Elara. Something tells me your wolf was far from weak." He tilts his head like he is trying to sense it inside of me.

"I remember it vaguely. It was strong." Just not strong enough to fight off the magic that ripped it from my chest.

"Without a wolf, you may have an issue in the next round, Elara. I suggest you get the help of some of the ladies, one you can trust as it involves wolves. It is essential."

"Thank you, Darius. I will be sure to." I'm sure he shouldn't be giving me hints about the next event.

"I think you have kept her long enough. I would like a moment to introduce myself without formalities." Kellan smiles down at us.

"Very well." I watch Darius walk away, and Kellan take his spot.

"You didn't look at the door when he walked in. Why?"

Wow, turning, I look at him. "Why would I? I knew his final spot was standing with you."

"All the other women did." He looks at me, confused.

"You had just called our attention to you; to turn away at that moment, even if the king had entered, was rude." Darius was simply walking in, there was no reason to watch him taking steps.

"Interesting." I look at him, confused, and he smiles. "Oh, nothing, forget about that." He grins slightly. "It was nice to talk to you, Elara." He stands up.

"And you, Alpha Kellan." I watch him nod and walk away, moving. I stand with Sage.

"The women hate you more." I laugh at her words.

"I don't understand why. Everyone must know both of them will not pick me as Luna." We talk for a short while, and I step back and move away when Darius and Kellan come over to speak to her. I don't want anyone to think I got to talk to them more than once.