THEY WILL REMAIN HERE

FREDA

King Draken’s eyebrows furrowed as he digested the information his attendant just shared with him.

“Back? They were meant to be dealing with that troublesome coven in the northern territory. How could they be back so soon?” Confusion clouded Draken’s face as his scowl deepened.

“They... they dealt with them, Your Majesty. They conquered them and laid waste to the traitors.” The attendant quivered. The fear in his face was evident when he talked about Draken’s sons. It was like they were some sort of monster.

A slow, satisfied smile spread slowly across Draken’s face as he chuckled softly.

“My sons, as good as always,” he said as pride gleamed in his crimson eyes. He turned towards us while smirking, and I could feel the hairs on my father's body rise.

“Do you still want to defy me, alphas? Now this… this is your final chance. Surrender or die.” Draken’s smirk disappeared, replaced by a cold, blank stare that sent a shiver down my spine.

I had the sickening feeling that if we disobeyed his orders this time, then he would definitely dispose of us. I really hoped that the alphas would make the right decision because I really couldn't see how we were going to get out of this alive. We were surrounded on all sides and one of the alphas was just gruesomely killed right before our eyes, and they could do anything to stop him. We were out of our league here.

The minutes ticked by in agonizingly slow fashion as Draken folded his hands on his chest, waiting for the response of the alphas. None of them spoke up to respond to Draken, but the defiant looks on their faces and their silent growls weren't anything to write home about.

After a while, I heard a heavy sigh from behind me and I turned to see Ember walking towards Draken with a resolute expression.

“King Draken. We came here seeking peace, not bloodshed. There must be another way,” Ember began with a steady tone. I admired the way she managed to stay calm despite the chaos around us.

“Another way?” Draken’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “Enlighten me, little Alpha. How do you propose we resolve this… misunderstanding?”

“We are willing to make concessions, to establish a neutral zone between our territories. We are even willing to send in tributes and a large amount of resources to you every year as long as we can maintain the peace.” Ember ignored the barb in Draken’s voice as she proposed. It really wasn't a bad offer and I looked up at Draken, hoping he would just accept and we would be free from this mess.

A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest, which crushed my hopes.

“Concessions? How kind of you. But peace isn't something I negotiate, it is something I enforce.” Draken stated as his gaze swept across us. His gaze lingered a bit on the headless body of Lyrus and a cruel, predatory smile stretched across his face.

“You have two options, alphas.” He declared and his voice echoed through the hall. “One, you bend the knee, swear fealty to me and become a part of my dominion. Two, you die.”

Silence once again descended on the meeting hall and Ember's shoulders slumped in defeat. She walked towards the alphas and spoke with a few of them. She approached my father and he just gave her a curt nod. She nodded back and walked back to Draken.

“We have accepted to swear fealty to you but on one condition,” Ember stated as she glared at Draken.

“A condition? Explain yourself, Alpha.” Draken arched an eyebrow as he responded.

“Guarantee our safety. Allow us to leave this castle to return to our packs unharmed,” Ember declared.

Draken had a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered our condition. After a few minutes, he uncrossed his arm from his chest and smirked.

“Very well, you and the other alphas can leave. Consider it a gesture of goodwill.” He nodded and I could hear several sighs of relief from the alphas but I knew this wasn't the end. There was still something he needed to make clear. Notice how he said ‘the alphas’ and not ‘the alphas and their daughters.’ I feared that he would still want us to stay behind.

“All of us. That includes the daughters of the alphas,” Ember emphasized, mirroring my thoughts.

Draken’s smile faltered and my heart sank. He had no intention of letting us go in the first place. We were so dead.

“The females will remain here as guests.” He cleared his throat as he announced. “They will remain here as… guests. They will be free to roam the castle grounds and they will be given the best treatment.”

Anger flared as growls and snarls filled the air.

“How dare you tell us we can't leave with our offspring.”

“We aren't going anywhere without our daughters.”

“Go to hell.”

Insults and curses were rained on Draken who just stood calmly. Ember raised her hand and she managed to quell the noise before she turned to face Draken once again.

“You can't possibly think the alphas would leave their daughters behind, King Draken. You've seen their reaction to the news and we refuse,” Ember stated decisively. Her claws were sprouting from her fingertips and the air around her changed as her wolf prowled on the surface. She was about to shift.

“You all refuse? Then perhaps we can revisit the whole ‘leaving unharmed’ clause,” King Draken growled threateningly.

My father hugged me tighter as his aura began to change too. I closed my eyes tightly, silently praying for divine intervention when suddenly, I heard the door of the meeting room burst open.

I opened my eyes and glanced in the direction of the doorway and two figures stepped into the room. I squinted my eyes to catch a better look at them and everyone in the room's attention was fixed on them as well.