Chapter 2 Pilgrimage

Clarissa walked out of her bedroom.

Heart in her mouth and nervous as hell.

Why would her father call her so early in the morning to his chamber?

Getting to the door, she met Liam and Garrett.

The coyotes stationed at the door.

They bowed their heads in greetings as she pushed the door and walked in.

She met Gigi sitting next to their mother.

While she wasted no time in picking the seat next to her father.

"I didn't ask you to sit," Alpha King Uriel growled, his eyes flashing dangerously at her.

Clarissa immediately sprang to to her feet, mumbling her apology under her breath as her cheeks flushed crimson. She gently stole a side long look to the sly curve on Gigi's lips before she averted her gaze, submissively.

"You are both here for a purpose, that's the reason I called you." The pack leader stated, his menacing authority taking over the place. He instantly commanded the room's undivided attention causing Gigi to perk up eagerly. "I've trained you both enough I believe." His piercing eyes bored into Clarissa's soul. "It's about time you left for your pilgrimage."

Silence fell over the gathering as the weight of his words sank in. Every person kndw the significance of the pilgrimage and what it carried. It was a passage mandated only for the Alpha's offspring once they were mated.

Clarissa's head whipped around to her mother in abject confusion. This simply could not be...not yet!

Felicia's neutral features remained unreadable as her eyes focused on something in the distance.

The girl's gaze skated to Gigi, mouth agape in shock and denial. She shook vehemently.

The pilgrimage, she didn't think was something she could endure. With the stories she'd heard of it and the consequences... Gigi wasn't even Lycan. Nor were both girls even mated.

"But we're not mated yet," Gigi interjected, her melodic voice cutting through the charged atmosphere like a rapier.

A dozen pairs of eyes swiveled her way, drinking in the aggressive jut of her delicate jaw and the defiant spark smoldering in her hazel depths.

"It's my order," Uriel stated with finality, leaning forward to brace his bulging forearms on the polished desktop. "You'll leave for Washington in twelve hours."

Clarissa's slender throat constricted as dread coiled in the pit of her stomach.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I still can't believe you let that happen." Gigi said bitterly, voice laced with frustration as she packed her cloths into a large cardboard box. Her movements were sharp and aggressive, expressing her irritation.

With a grunt, she snapped the box lid closed, before turning to face Malcolm with a stern face. Strands of her hair fell across her face as her framing eyes burned with intensity.

"He actually listens to you." She spat, referring to her father's decision that had fueled her anger. "You could have said something, done something, anything that would make him change his mind!"

The room held a chaotic energy, with half filled boxes and scattered belongings strewn about. The ray of twilight, flitered in through the window, casting a faint glow ok the scene.

Malcolm met Gigi's gaze, his expression a calm contrast to Gigi's heated outburst. "He listens to me for advice concerning your training." He replied, emphasizing the "your" even though his tone was unfazed by her outburst.

Gigi rolled her eyes dramatically, her full lips pursing into a pout. "We're not even mated yet, but we're going on a pilgrimage?" Her voice rose in disbelief, escalating to a shrill scream as her temper flared. "What the actual hell?!"

Unfazed, Malcolm spoke in a measured tone, attempting to reason with her. "Gigiana, there's nothing you can do about it," he stated plainly. "Think of this, you can actually meet new people. And of course, no one's watching your every move there." He held her gaze meaningfully. "Remember, it's a kind of survival of the fittest. And you'll come back to prove your worth to your father."

Gigi's expression gradually softened, while the fire in her eyes flickered before fading.

"I guess I didn't think of it that way." She said, feeling suddenly embarrassed by her unreasoned outburst.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clarissa's belongings were packed with equal fervor, even though the mood was more tense.

"You can at least talk him out of the shit he calls a pilgrimage!" She said exasperatedly her voice carried through the hallway. "It su..."

"Can you quit talking already?" She was abruptly cut off my a growl. Felicia snapped, her rough tone laced with impatience. " You're giving me a hell of a headache."

Felicia moved about Clarissa's room with brisk efficiency, assisting the maid in packing Clarissa's belongings into sturdy trunks and cases. Her movements were sharp and purposeful, reflecting her no-nonsense demeanor.

"It's for the best." She raised her gaze to meet Clarissa's, her gaze stern. "Make sure you don't entangle yourself with those blood suckers. They're definitely out there." She stated firmly leaving no room for argument. Her words carried a weight of warning as she ticked off the potential dangers on her fingers. "They're found especially in clubs, hotels, motels, restaurants and so on."

Clarissa signed, but nodded. "It seems more like we're heading to college," she remarked wryly, attempting to inject some levity into the tense atmosphere.

Felicia, however, was unamused. With a weary sigh, she fixed Clarissa with a pointed look. "Do you ever get serious?" she chided, shaking her head before turning on her heel and striding out of the room, leaving Clarissa to ponder her mother's words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six hefty guards followed swiftly as Lord Duncan made his way into the tallest building on the street.

His black jacket complemented his white skin.

And of course his constant spectacles.

Several women in the company have been fired for drooling openly at him.

And now.

They only stare and drool in closed doors.

Melinda, his secretary, walked briskly before him, throwing open the door to the boardroom.

Which is off-bound to all the workers in the company.

Excluding his guards.

Walking in, he slid the master card into the machine.

It vibrated and the wall parted into two as they walked in.

"She's arriving today." A little girl of six said, offering him some bunch of flowers.

"Take her away." He said to the older woman standing close by.

"Yes my Lord."

"How's her treatment coming?" He asked, referring to the little girl.

She's a seer but became blind as soon as she was born.

A memory he'd choose not to go into..

"Can we avoid the topic?".

~~~~~~~~~

" There's no changing it".

" You'll leave whether you like it or not".

" Either way, you're leaving." Felicia snapped at Clarissa, putting her nagging to an abrupt end.

Their bags were carried down to the car as Gigi looked around the huge house.

"I can't believe we won't be seeing this for the next few months...".

"It's unimaginable." She finished, turning around to hug her parents.

"Keep a close eye on your sister Gigi".

" She might be up to eighteen".

" But the child in her is still huge." Alpha Uriel said as everyone chuckled.

Clarissa ducked her head in shame.

Moving swiftly into the car as they chuckled again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally the car hit the road.

Ofcourse Malcolm was asked to stay with them till they get back also, to continue with their training.

Clarissa looked out of the window, wondering how life would treat her.

She'd never been away from her family before.

Much less being in the human world.

She wondered who brought such an idea of the 'pilgrimage'.

Well it sucks!.

She thought, groaning out loudly.

Gigi turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?" Gigi asked, looking at Malcolm in the mirror.

"Of course,I am".

"You think I am not?" She was quick to add as Gigi rolled her eyes.

"Of course".

" You were practically groaning".

" And hey, we're not preys." She spat as Clarissa's face coloured crimson.

Malcolm held back his laughter as Gigi shrugged.

"Suit yourself!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the meeting at the company,Lord Duncan asked his driver to take him to the only place where he rages out.

Seeing Bernice in that condition.

Blind; had his rage for the werewolves coming back.

His fangs threatened to tear off his bottom lip.

His claws drew constant circles on the seat of the car.

Tearing them in shreds.

The driver knew he'd have to change that once they got back home.

The continuous clawing at the seat didn't stop until the huge tower stood a few feet away.

"Stop right here." He ordered.

Immediately the car halted.

He got out of the car, running with a mad speed, till he disappeared into the tower.