CHAPTER 4: Take Her Place

Autumn’s pov

My fear intensified when I looked up to see the sky swirling with grey clouds and lightenings, making me care less about the excruciating pain that zigged up and down my spine.

“Kneel until the sun comes for showing up before me uninvited, Omega!” Alpha Rafe commanded, strutting back into the hall.

As soon as he left his guards lined up in front and behind me, but unlike me they had a shade and their strong wolves to keep them warm.

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself because I couldn’t do anything else but kneel on the rough ground until the sun came up.

I didn’t know when I had passed out from the cold, but I suddenly stirred awake. I thought it strange that the sun wasn’t up yet the darkness was gradually clearing away from the sky.

As I raised my head to draw the attention of the guards to the unusual climate, that's when I saw that the guards in front of the party hall were dead and there was a strange scent in the air.

My eyes brimmed in horror as I caught sight of blood flowing in parallel directions from the body of the guards. Instinctively, I looked ahead to see a band of scary wolves dressed in black fur standing right in front of me. There were a thousand of them, gathered at the entrance, their eyes glistening like warriors ready for war.

One tall man in the midst of the wolves with a permanent scar cut across his left eye caught my eyes. Our gazes locked in the cold, hollow arena and a gasp slipped from my throat when I immediately recognized who he was.

He was Dax Thorne. The rogue alpha.

I shot to my feet and raced into the party hall, forgetting my bad leg for a second. The moment I stepped inside, everyone realised that chaos had come to our doorsteps.

“Everyone, to the throne room. Now! Rogues have taken the Crescent night pack under siege!” Zane yelled, sounding the warning bells shortly after he was done passing the information.

Bessie and Catalina were the first to dash out to the throne room before the rest of us followed suite. After everyone had successfully settled in and the few guards stationed inside the hall were about closing the doors, Dax stormed in.

“What is the meaning of this, Dax?!” Rafe growled from his throne, but one could see his fear in the way he gripped the wooden arm.

“I should be asking you that,” Dax said, not sparing Alpha Rafe a snarl. “Two nights ago, a wolf from the Crescent Night pack attacked a rogue with the intent to kill. His head was hanging from his body on thread-like flesh.”

“And how sure are you that it was a wolf from my pack?”

“The attacker fled into your pack and received safe passage from the guards. I’m certain of this, Rafe.”

“Very well, I shall prepare a thousand silvers and rubies for the inconvenience—“

“Eat your silvers and rubies!” Dax growled, hands fisted like rock. “My wolf is in between life and death and he might not make it. If you do not wish my wrath upon your pack, you will offer me a Crescent wolf to appease me.”

“Rogue Dax, you’re overstepping your boundaries,” Alpha Rafe hissed.

“You have one hour.” Dax started and began walking out, not bothering to hear whatever Alpha Rafe whose eyes were wide open, had to say.

As soon as he was completely out of sight with his men trailing behind him, we murmured amongst ourselves, overtaken by fear at what this angered rogue was capable of.

His visitation had caught us totally unawares. No preparation had been made and almost all the pack guards had fallen dead.

It was obvious what the next line of action was going to be. A treaty of some sort. Alpha Rafe would have to do what Dax asked else he was going to slaughter all of us and claim the Crescent Night pack as a conquest.

An Elder cleared his throat. “I propose we settle this matter by a duel, of which the Rogue Alpha collects the vanquished as his prize.”

“I second Loki’s option, Alpha Rafe. We should fight it out in the ring.” The second Elder immediately supported the tenth one.

“And what about where strengths are unmatched?” A female elder spoke up. “We all know after the Alpha, Zane Nix, is the strongest werewolf in the Crescent Night pack. A man like him already knows he’s saved. Your option is not wise, Loki.”

“Elara, do you suggest we fight the rogues unready? Dax Thorn came for blood, we had better not dare.”

Alpha Rafe remained silent while his council came up with suggestions and bantered amongst themselves. My hands trembled at my side. An hour was not an entire day. We were running out of time.

When voices rambled on unheard in the pack, Bessie cleared her throat sharply and stepped into the middle of the aisle. She raised her chin proudly. “The best way is a ballot. Whoever’s name gets picked on the first draw, follows the rogue home.”

The room went silent after her valid point. It was equal and the fate of our lives was in the hands of luck alone. I was surprised that Bessie’s opinion was not selfish but reasonable.

But that was until she opened her mouth to speak again. “My husband, daughter, and I would be exempted from the ballot on the grounds that I brought the idea. Catalina will be Alpha Rafe’s mate, after all.”

The elders sharpened their glares on a conniving Bessie. She was always up to no good and she had proved me right again.

Elara confronted the Alpha. “A ballot is good. But I’ve always known my Alpha to be a man of honour and selflessness. He would never exempt his name from the box just because of his status.”

“She’s right,” Alpha Rafe said after a long pause. “The names of every Crescent Wolf will be slotted in and drawn. There will be no exceptions.”

Bessie’s face reddened with fury. Catalina had to hold her back from lashing out at Alpha Rafe which would have most likely gotten her into trouble. Zane on the other hand didn't say a word, he stood calmly by Alpha Rafe’s side.

The ballot began and silence reigned like a dictator in the room. No one breathed loudly. Everyone waited with bathed breath for the results to be announced. Zane shook the box with vigour over ten times before all eyes.

He dipped his hand inside the box and everyone inhaled sharply. I noticed the devastation on his face before he read the name on the paper.

“Catalina Nix.”

My cruel foster sister’s face turned ashen. Her mother tightened her arm around her, screaming for no one to touch her precious baby. Even Alpha Rafe rose to his feet in shock over the turn of events.

Elder Loki said, “It was the agreement, Bessie. Sad, but the girl must go.”

Bessie fell at Alpha Rafe’s feet immediately, holding his ankle and crying. “Please, Alpha Rafe. Save my daughter! You love her. Don’t let these scary men take her away.”

“Do you have a replacement for her?”

Bessie raised her head and wiped her tears. She stood on her feet and adjusted her dress, pretending to still be as elegant as she was five minutes ago. Her eyes turned on me. I stepped back, having a heart attack at the meaning in her gaze.

“Autumn will take her sister’s place.”

As soon as she said that, Dax Thorn marched into the throne room, carrying presence in spades. “Your time is up, Rafe.”

“Take this one and never return unless I cut your eyes out myself.”

Alpha Rafe climbed up the stairs while Dax faced me with red fury. I shook my head, incapable of forming words because I was so afraid of what was about to happen to me. I turned to Zane, hoping he'd spare me a glance and for once refuse to let Bessie and Catalina do to me as they pleased, especially since this had to do with my life but he refused to meet my gaze.

I rushed after Alpha Rafe to bid time, sobbing and wailing at his feet to reconsider my foster mother's cruel decision but he shoved me away.

“The decision has been made Autumn! Consider it as the pack doing you a favour.” He snarled in a venomous tone, “You're an omega and ontop of that a mute, you have no place in Crescent night pack! So if I were you, I would accept my fate with the utmost humility!”

No sooner had he spat out the cruel words when Dax's massive hands clamped down on my arms, dragging me away from the only home I knew. I struggled and kicked, but he was too strong. As I was hauled out of the hall, I caught one last glimpse of Alpha Rafe and Catalina’s pitiless face... and then everything went black.