Chapter 1 001

Lusia

A ball with the Ironclaw Pack? That was outrageous. I couldn't understand why the Alpha, Finn Slater, should choose to create a union between us and the Ironclaw pack who were our sworn enemies.

We were at the town hall and he was standing on the podium when he revealed this. I was confused and my mind was searching for a reason he decided to do something like that . It was suicide. The Ironclaw Pack could come and wipe us out without a hint of remorse. This didn't make any sense to me.

"The ball shall happen soon. A date had been set. Friday, the 13th. The ball shall be held," he said.

I clenched my jaws at that. This meant he was serious about this. I felt an air of uneasiness around me as I sat a few feet away from the podium where he stood.

"The invitation has already been sent to the Lycan King, and he shall be here on Friday," he said. "It's time we prepare. This ball is going to bring peace to us all. We shall no more be afraid of the Ironclaw pack. We wouldn't have to worry about an impending attack from them. This ball is aimed at fixing the damage and rift between the two packs. So I hope you all will give me your trust."

Now I understood what he meant. But choosing to trust the pack that had tormented us for so many years was surprising and baffling at the same time. Whatever he was trying to do, I still couldn't fathom it. I had to talk to him. He was my brother after all.

As Finn got off the podium, it signified the end of the meeting, and the crowd dispersed. I rose from my chair and struggled to get to him through the crowd. He was being guarded by his beta, Keon, and some other delta guards. If only I could reach him, I would be able to let him know of my thoughts. But even at that, I wasn't certain he was going to listen to me.

Finn left the town hall before I could reach him but I spotted Keon who was by the door flirting with a lady. I rolled my eyes at that. That was no shocker.

I walked up to him, and when he saw me, his lips stretched out into a smile. I could tell what he was thinking. He was reminiscing of all the times he had watched me undress before him. He was recollecting all the times his lips had caressed my skin.

I was a victim of my uncontrollable heat. I couldn't awaken my wolf because of the curse that had been placed on me when I was still little. Keon had used that to his advantage. He had made sure to feed his lust every single time that I came knocking at his doorbell. I felt my skin crawl in disgust as I gazed at him now.

"Hello, Lusia. What brings you here?" He asked with a flirtatious smile on his face.

Only the moon goddess knew how much I wanted to slap that smile off his face. The lady he had been talking to had gone which left only the both of us in the town hall. I felt uncomfortable fearing that he would choose to take advantage of me here.

"I need to talk to Finn about this. This is outrageous," I said. "They may be setting a trap for us."

Keon shook his head and folded his arms.

"You know that your brother wouldn't talk to you," he said. "He hates your very existence since forever."

I sighed and nodded at that. He was right.

Finn despised me because he blamed me for the death of our parents. He had found me with a knife in my hand with the corpse of our parents bleeding in the living room. I didn't know anything about it. But I had been blamed for it and this curse had been struck on me.

From that day onward, Finn didn't see me as his little sister anymore but as a royal servant. That was what my status had been reduced to by my blood brother.

"Just give me an opportunity. Please?" I begged.

Keon sighed and nodded.

"But on one condition," he said.

I knew what the condition was, and I stepped back irked by it.

"No."

Keon chuckled.

"You'll come back anyways. You always do," he said before walking off.

***

It was the night of the ball, and I was in heat. I could feel it. The churning sensation in my stomach and the heat in between my thighs. The lewd thoughts that crowded my mind were uncontrollable. I was helpless and ashamed to assist at the ball.

The stench of my heat filled the air which made it impossible to be at the meeting. I tried to reach out to Finn in every way possible but he declined every single one of them.

Tonight I was in big trouble and couldn't control myself. Keon wasn't around either. He was busy with the preparations for the ball and so he couldn't make time for me.

I knew I had to let my brother know of this, and that was why I was at his door. I knocked on it gently and I heard his muffled voice telling me to come in.

I stepped into the room and found him by the dresser, straightening his black suit. He looked gorgeous and resembled our father which brought back memories.

He turned around and when he realized it was me, he walked up to me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

As he came closer, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"What is that smell?" He asked.

"I'm in heat. I can't attend the hall. I need your permission to be excused," I said, holding my lower abdomen.

Finn's face changed from that of disgust into one of fury. He swung his hand at me, handing me a slap. I took a step backward, my cheek stinging in pain. I was in heat, and the slap almost felt erotic. I clenched my jaws, disgusted by such a thought.

"Don't you dare!" He roared. "And is that why you are idle? Are you looking to kill someone else, you murderer?"

I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks now. I was hurt by his words. He still believed I killed our parents. I could feel my chest become heavy with pain. This wasn't just about my heat anymore. It was about guilt too.

"I just can't be there, your majesty. Please. I don't want to embarrass myself or you," I explained in between sobs.

"You can't embarrass me anymore. You already did years ago, you murderer!"

A knock on the door interrupted us. The door swung open and Keon stepped in. He looked puzzled at the scene before him. I wiped the tears off my eyes immediately.

"What is it, Keon?" Finn asked.

"The Lycan King of the Ironclaw pack just arrived," he replied.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard that. It had already begun.

Finn turned to me.

"Go and attend to him," he ordered.

At that point, I couldn't argue anymore. He wasn't going to listen to me anymore.

With my head hung in shame, I walked out of the room preparing for the most embarrassing night of my life.