Chapter 3

Mother nudges me while I'm hunched over, and I remember to bow while swaying a little. I can't just blame it all on a lack of practice. The new monarch is so attractive that he has taken my breath away.

The new king commands, "Rise," and his accent makes me long for London. "Are you still loyal to the pack?"

As the three of us respond to the traditional inquiry, I maintain a glum expression. "Yes, my king and my wolf pack leader."

And do you obey your king's and pack leader's commands?

The moment I look up and notice that he is staring at me as the three of us speak, heat pours over my face. He still wants me to meet his gaze when I swiftly avert my eyes. He exudes an air of confidence that has nothing to do with his job; it fills the space between us and makes the air seem heavy as I inhale it.

I cry out, "Yes, my king and my pack leader." I'm having trouble breathing, and I'm wondering how many people have collapsed in front of him.

Do you give up your freedom for the benefit of the pack?

That is the query that held my parents captive in their dull, loveless union. It is the answer to this query that will determine who mates with Ashton.

The dilemma that, if I don't decide quickly on the transformation, will result in my expulsion from the pack The right cannot be used again. Time's up for me.

I must, however, respond, "Yes, my king and my pack leader," in order to appease my mother's passive-aggressive rage.

My father is signalled by the king to proceed to the foot of the dais steps. The blood of your adversaries would be shed by your pack in the same way that you would shed blood for the pack. The old creed, which to my younger ears always sounded so cruel, is like a low, sensual promise in the king's graceful voice. I focus on the veins on the back of the big, royal hand as he holds out the royal signet ring for my dad to kiss.

This time, I remembered to bow and somehow stumble away after completing our family's homage. We advance towards the vast ballroom's doors, but what is on the other side doesn't carry the same appeal as the man I just bowed to, the one to whom I ritually gave up my will.

When the three of us were in front of him, did he only seem to focus on me? Was there a voltage crackling between us, or did I create it out of anxiety and emotional confusion? I've never had such an instantaneous response from someone. I'm not even sure if it's a good thing or if he's seriously intimidating me.

When the majordomo announces the name of the following family to enter the throne room, I decide it is okay to cast one final, fleeting glance towards the king while he is focused on them. But as soon as I turn to see, I get caught.

The king is looking at me as I leave.

Mother, Tara, and Clare update me about the new king as we dine. The simplest of my three hypotheses is that the old king has passed away. He does, however, have a son, although it is not Orion Wolfhart, the current leader of the Trailblazers Pack.

Mother gently slants her head and softens her voice. "Deposed," she says. We won't be listened to. not over the laughter, the clink of cutlery, and all the other rumours circulating. He married an extremely young person who was not much older than Clare, and she was crowned queen. You can probably guess how that made his kids feel.

Clare, my sister, is seated to my left. She is the most attractive of us all, perhaps seeming more regal than Mother.

In the past, there has been debate on who is the fairest of them all.

Clare leans in as her ruby pendant earrings swing. And consider how his children must have felt after being cut off from the succession.

I swig from my wine. "I still don't get how that results in some random English guy coming in and taking over," said the speaker.

"Hush!" Mom gives a stern warning. He remains your king.

Tara, my sister, doesn't bother to stutter her speech across the round table. "The Greater London Pack stepped in because there was a power vacuum."

She is immediately subdued as her partner, Josh, leans over and whispers something to her. I abhor it. He appears to be a decent enough person, but he was raised in the same society as all the other men in this ballroom, and according to the law of the pack, those men have the ultimate say on the members of their families.

with one exception. The Right of Accord was more potent than my father's word.

I look at Mother as my eyes start to widen. The question "Are we under occupation?"

"They were occupying us." Julian, Clare's spouse, has honey-blond hair that is nearly identical to hers, and he is just as attractive. He speaks in a similarly wry manner. Then everyone moved on.

I don't recognise any of the people sitting at the table next to ours, but Clare mumbles, "Not everyone," and nods. I can't ignore them because of the way we live; I remember who is sitting next to whom and study every face.

Mother immediately says, "Oh, look," as a thrall waiter enters the room. "Dessert."

Tara gives me a look that suggests we'll discuss more later.

We also do. My sisters and I depart for the toilet after dinner turns into drinks and dancing, 'getting lost' along the way and into a windowed nook to converse without being interrupted by their partners.

"Look, Father won't ever admit it, and Mother doesn't like to talk about it, but Greater London is leading the Trailblazers Pack. By removing his children from the line of succession before finding a new heir, king Arthur committed a grave error.

"However, why was he removed by the pack? Considering that they didn't like his wife, such a thing is unheard of nowadays.

Tara explains, "Because he knew she had illicit dealings with the Enigma pack." She shares my ash blonde hair and recognizable face the most with the other of my two sisters, which disgraced our former pack leader. And he hid them from view.

When questioned, "He lied to the council," Clare continues. He misled the group.

"Wow. I must have had a lot to miss while I was away. My stomach feels empty. I've come back to a conflict zone. Who were those individuals at the table you mentioned?

Clare is fully aware of what I'm describing. The Rogers clan's queen, who initially caused this issue, was their own daughter, Amber.

"Her family continues to believe she has a case. King Orion is rumoured to be in love with her and has plans to bring her back to the pack, Tara whispers, using a volume that is out of character for her but is appropriate when referring to the pack's supreme leader. You can only imagine how anxious that makes the council members, who do not want Frost to be deposed.

Everyone in the castle tonight should feel uneasy about it. A deposed queen whose family hasn't been exiled poses a threat, and that risk increases if she's the target of an advancing conqueror. With the aid of one of North America's most potent packs, it would just take a straightforward mating ritual to gracefully transfer control of the Trailblazers Pack to Greater London.

We might get nothing back.

The leader of the opposing forces is also moving down the hallway outside the ballroom's red carpeting. He is laughing while conversing with someone as they swiftly approach us.