Chapter 2:A Mother's Betrayel

Six months.

One hundred and eighty two days.

I count every one.

The pack moved on. They stopped wearing black. They stopped lowering their eyes when they saw me.

But I didn't.

I keep my father's chair in his study. I sit there every night. I wait for answers that don't come.

No one talks about the footprints anymore. No one talks about the locked door. The missing journals.

Toren says it was rogues. The Alpha says it was rogues. Everyone says it was rogues.

I say nothing.

Because I am just the Beta's daughter. And Beta's daughters don't argue with Alphas.

Tonight I am in the kitchen. Alone. My mother is in the main hall. She called a pack meeting.

I wasn't invited.

That's fine. I don't want to stand there while they pretend to mourn him. They didn't know him. Not like I did.

I stare at the fire. The flames dance. I think about his hands. Big hands. Gentle hands. He used to hold my face when he talked to me.

"Listen to your wolf, Kiera. She knows things your heart doesn't."

My wolf knows something is wrong. She has known for six months. She growls every time Toren walks by. She snarls every time my mother smiles.

My mother smiles a lot now.

Too much.

The door opens.

I don't turn around. I know the footsteps. Soft. Careful. My mother.

"Kiera."

I say nothing.

"Put on your dress. The blue one."

"Why."

She sighs. The way she always sighs when I ask questions.

"Because we have guests. Important guests."

"We always have guests."

"Not like this."

I turn around.

She looks different. Her hair is done up. Her dress is new. Red. She never wears red.

"Who," I say.

"Alpha Darius Kane."

The name hits my chest like a rock.

Darius Kane. Alpha of Obsidian Ridge. My father's rival. The man who wanted my father's territory. The man who argued with him at every council meeting.

I saw him once. Two years ago. He came to sign a treaty. He was tall. Dark hair. Eyes like winter.

My father hated him.

"Why is he here," I say.

My mother's face does something strange. Her mouth twitches. Her eyes go bright.

"He's here for me."

I wait. She says nothing else.

"What does that mean."

She walks to the window. Looks out at the driveway. Carriages. Wolves. Flags. Obsidian Ridge colors.

"He asked for my hand. I accepted."

The room goes quiet.

I hear the words. But they don't make sense.

"You accepted what."

"Marriage, Kiera. I am marrying Alpha Darius."

My hands start to shake.

"Father has been dead six months."

"I know."

"You're supposed to mourn for a year. That's the law."

"I am the law now. Your father is gone. The pack needs an Alpha. A strong one. Darius can protect us."

"Protect us from what?"

She turns. Her eyes are hard.

"From everything."

I stand up. The chair scrapes the floor.

"You're marrying my father's enemy."

"He wasn't his enemy. They disagreed. That's different."

"They fought at every meeting. Father said he was dangerous. He said Darius would burn the pack lands if he could."

"Your father was afraid of change."

"My father was not afraid of anything."

She walks to me. Reaches for my hand. I pull away.

"I know you're hurting," she says. "But this is good for us. Darius is powerful. Rich. He can give us everything your father couldn't."

"Like what. A new husband before his body is cold."

She slaps me.

The sound cracks through the kitchen.

My cheek burns. My wolf surges. I hold her back.

My mother's face is red. Her breath is fast.

"You will not speak to me like that. I am your mother. And soon you will address me as Luna of Obsidian Ridge."

I touch my cheek. Look at her.

"You're not my Luna."

"I am your mother. And you will wear the blue dress. And you will smile. And you will thank Alpha Darius for taking us in."

"Taking us in?"

She straightens her dress. Fixes her hair.

"We're moving to his territory after the wedding. This pack will merge with his. The Silverclaw name will end."

My heart stops.

"Father's pack. His father's pack. His grandfather's pack. You're just giving it away."

"I'm saving it. Without an Alpha, we're weak. The rogues will come back. Other packs will attack. Darius is our only hope."

"He's not hope. He's a vulture."

She grabs my arm. Her nails dig in.

"Get dressed. Now. Or I will have Toren drag you to the hall in your nightclothes."

I look at her hand on my arm.

Six months ago she was on her knees crying over my father.

Now she's wearing red and marrying his rival.

My wolf whines inside me.

I pull my arm free.

"I'll get dressed."

She nods. Smiles. Like nothing happened.

"Good girl. We leave in an hour."

She walks out. Her red dress swishes against the floor.

I stand in the kitchen.

The fire is dying.

I look at my father's chair. Empty.

He would never let this happen. He would never let her do this.

But he's dead.

And I'm alone.

I go to my room. The blue dress is on the bed. Someone laid it out for me. Probably my mother.

I don't put it on.

I open my closet. Take out a black dress. The one I wore to his funeral.

I put it on.

I go downstairs.

The main hall is full. Wolves from both packs. Silverclaw and Obsidian Ridge.

And at the front. Standing next to my mother.

Him.

Darius Kane.

He is taller than I remember. Broader. His hair is dark. His eyes are light. Almost silver.

He looks at me when I walk in.

His gaze doesn't move.

My mother sees my dress. Her smile freezes.

But Darius. Darius smiles.

It's not a kind smile.

It's the smile of a wolf who just found something interesting.

I walk to them. Every eye on me.

My mother whispers through her teeth. "What are you wearing."

"The truth," I say.

Darius extends his hand.

"Kiera. I've heard so much about you."

I don't take his hand.

"Have you."

"Your father spoke of you often. He was proud."

"Don't talk about him."

My mother's face goes white.

Darius doesn't flinch. He lowers his hand. Still smiling.

"Fair enough."

He turns to the crowd.

"Thank you all for coming. Tonight we celebrate the union of Silverclaw and Obsidian Ridge. Your new Luna and I will lead you into a stronger future."

They cheer.

I stand in the back. In my funeral dress.

My mother raises a glass. She looks happy.

She looks like she forgot.

I will not forget.

I look at Darius.

He is watching me again.

Over the rim of his glass. Over the heads of the cheering wolves.

Watching.

I look away first.

And that feels like a loss.