Four: The welcome party

Cara’s POV : 

The rhythmic clopping of hooves against cobblestone punctuated the silence that had settled in the carriage

He sat opposite me, his face partly obscured by the shadow, his presence filling the cramped space between us. I studied his profile; the tightness in his jaw as he stared out the carriage at the blur of passing trees, lost in his own world. Did he regret taking me as a mate? Was he contemplating taking me back? Would my father allow it?  

“I regret wasting so much time and resources trying to fix whatever you are. You’ve brought nothing but disappointment to this family.”  

My father’s voice echoed in my head and I shut my eyes tightly in a desperate attempt to forget. He would never allow me return. I was stuck here, with Lucien Valen— completely at his mercy— and there was nothing I could do about it.

Time passed slowly as we traveled deeper into the countryside where Lucien’s castle lay. Our arrival was heralded with the ring of a bell and my breath caught in my throat when the heavy gray stone loomed into view for the first time. Worn granite caught the light of the setting sun and glowed beautifully, the diamond-shaped windows glimmering brilliantly. 

Lucien may no longer have his former strength, but the castle clearly showed that he still had the money. 

I felt a mix of anticipation and dread as I looked out the window, my stomach churning at the thought of what awaited me inside those walls. Each moment brought me closer to a world I knew nothing about and I wasn’t sure how to behave or what was expected of me now.

I was Lucien’s mate, would he require me to play the role of a luna? And how was I to do that, when I didn’t have a wolf? Had he discussed this with his council? His pack? What if they didn’t accept me?

Slowly, my anticipation shifted to fear, and I plastered myself back against my seat, fighting the urge to shudder. Lucien never looked at me the entire time. In fact, I was almost certain he had forgotten I was there. He just stared out his window, lost in whatever thoughts that had plagued him throughout our journey. 

The moment the carriage rolled to a stop, everyone sprung to attention. A climbing block was quickly brought forward and the door opened for our exit. Lucien got out and didn’t bother to hold a hand for me. He didn’t even look back. He stalked towards the small group that had gathered at the end of the granite pathway, leaving me behind.  

The coachman held out a hand for me and struggling with my wavering legs, I clambered out of the carriage, hurrying after my mate. 

I caught up with him just before he stopped before the small entourage, a group of two men, four guards and a woman. I paused a few feet behind him and tried not to pant. 

“Welcome back Alpha.” One of the men said stepping forward. He was as tall as Lucien, but leaner with a short crop of dark brown hair on his head. 

“Sean.” Was all the Alpha said in acknowledgement. The woman broke out of the group, struting forward with an elegant sultriness I could never dream to possess, her eyes adoringly on my newly acquired mate. 

I was shocked when she hurried up to Lucien and immediately threw her arms around him, planting her ruby-red lips on his cheek.

“Oh Lucien. I missed you. You should’ve let me follow you.” She breathed, ending her words with a pout. 

Lucien didn’t flinch. He didn’t push her away, but he didn’t hold her either, standing indifferently while she practically clung to him. 

“Emily.” He clipped “Be appropriate for once.” He said sharply and with another pout, she withdrew her arms from him. She froze, her head raising sharply towards me as if she was suddenly taking note of my presence. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on me over Lucien’s shoulder, displeasure flickering over her beautiful features. 

“I have some news. You might as well hear it from me before it becomes hot gossip.” 

Lucien started, his droll, disinterested tone barely wavering at all. 

I froze, suddenly aware the news he wanted to share and aghast that he would go about informing his people in such a manner. 

“I have taken another mate.” He declared flatly and a stunned silence followed. 

All eyes swung to me and I was suddenly the object of everyone’s attention. 

I took an unconscious step back. 

“What?” The second official finally spoke, stepping forward as well, his eyes wide with disbelief. 

“What do you mean you took another mate?” 

“Luke. It’s nice to see you too.” Lucien said, and then to our collective disbelief, he started to stride past them towards the castle. 

“Alpha, hold on.” Sean started, going after him, Lucien knocked his hand away before it could touch his shoulder. 

“It’s done Luke. We’re bonded already. The ceremony has been completed. She is your new Luna.” He called over his shoulder without a glance. All of them turned to me, various expressions of disbelief on their faces. 

“She? Who is she?” Emily shrilled, visibly upset by the news and my presence. Lucien paused and only spared us half a glance. “Her name is Cara Wylder.”

“Wylder? You mean the family that has the golden luna?” Luke asked sharply, his eyes suddenly scrutinizing me. “Yes.” Lucien answered and continued moving. The guards arranged themselves around him and started to follow him. Sean went after him as well while Luke and Emily continued to stare at me. 

“The golden… she doesn’t even have a wolf!” Emily shrilled. After a moment of studying me intently, Luke turned around and went after his brother. 

Not wanting this Emily woman to rip me apart like she clearly wanted to, I went after them all. I heard her vicious curse behind me. 

“Brother,” Luke said, his voice low and strained. “We need to talk about this’’

“No. We don’t.”  Lucien said in response, not stopping at all. 

“Sean, get Madam Troyer to see rooms and a maid assigned to her. I want her in the royal wing.”

“Royal—- Lucien!” Luke growled sounding absolutely incensed. We all halted to a stop when Lucien spun around suddenly, his face darkened with anger as he glared at us all. 

“What?” He barked at Luke. The other brother pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to contain his anger. 

“Decisions like this affect the pack. Emily’s right. I can’t sense any wolf on her so how can she be the golden luna? Hell, how can she be any kind of luna?” He demanded and my stomach rolled uncomfortably with the familiarity of his questions. Questions I had just been asking myself. 

“If she’s not your fated mate then pack law says she must be overlooked by the council first.”

Lucien raised a brow. 

“I don’t need anyone’s permission to take a mate, least of all you.” They eyed each other and an underlying current of tension echoed over the room. Whatever was going on here far predated my arrival, but I was firmly caught in the middle now. It didn’t help that Emily was glaring daggers at me herself. 

The staredown carried for a moment or two until Luka sighed, his shoulders dropping in resignation. 

“Fine. You are the Alpha after all.” He said, a hint of resentment in his tone, and then he stalked past Lucien, going into the castle. 

“Sean, meet me in my study when you have her settled.” Lucien ordered and then he too was gone, disappearing into the castle with his retinue of guards. 

Sean and Emily both eyed me. It was Emily who moved first. 

“Listen here you little shit—”

“Emily….” Sean called, a warning in his tone, but she ignored him entirely. 

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, but it’s not going to work. What are you, human or something? You can never rule this pack without a wolf and once you start to weaken Lucien even more with your patheticness, he’ll see you for what you really are.” She leaned down until we were face level, eyeing me with so much hostility that I flinched. 

“Worthless.” She finished spitefully and I flinched, the insult reopening several poorly healed wounds within me. 

With that, she turned around, stalking off in the opposite direction of the castle. 

Sean stared after her a moment then sighed. “I apologize for that. I don’t know what’s going on but I do know it isn’t your fault. When Lucien’s decided to do something, no one can talk him out of it.” He said, his expression rather tired. 

Still too shaken to talk, I gave a meaningless nod. 

“Come with me, I’ll take you to a room and find the Madam.” 

He said softly and I gratefully went with him, needing the privacy so I could cry and wonder what the hell I’d gotten into. 

“I don’t want you to worry about Lady Petrova. She can be a bit first but if you truly are installed as Luna, there’s nothing she could do about it. Lucien’s still Alpha here and what he says goes.”

I cleared my throat. “She’s not the only one who didn’t seem to like the idea of me.” 

I husked and Sean grimaced. “Well, whether he likes it or not, Luke still answers to Alpha Lucien, as does everyone else in Pack Valen.”

He said and I nodded. So as long as Lucien wanted me here, I could be reasonably certain none of them would hurt me? For some reason, I wasn’t so comforted. 

“I wouldn’t worry about it, really.” Sean reassured once more. But as we walked through the halls of the castle, the servants eyeing me and whispering beneath their hands as I passed, I could feel nothing but worry.