Chapter 66: Two Alphas
Hours later, the deep quiet of the evening was shattered.
Rhea had drifted off on the edge of the mattress beside Eli.
Slowly, she stirred, the low, guttural vibration of wolves snarling pulling her from her sleep. The heavy thud of paws slamming against the earth vibrated through the stone floor beneath her. She sat up, her brows pulling together.
Inside her mind, River was already pacing, her eyes fixed on the locked wooden door, her throat humming with a dangerous growl.
The sounds from the courtyard grew louder, sharper. The sudden movement of Rhea sitting up woke the sleeping boy beside her.
"Mama?" Eli mumbled, his voice groggy and thick with sleep.
Rhea turned to him. She gently brushed a hand over his dark hair, forcing her face to look calm despite the frantic beating of her heart. "Lie back down, sweet boy," she murmured, nudging him gently under the warm furs. "Mama will be right back."
"Something is very wrong, Rhea," River warned, her claws digging into Rhea’s thoughts. "The air smells of too many dominant males."
Rhea’s heart skipped a beat. She slid out of bed, her bare feet silent on the floorboards as she crept to the door. She unlocked it and parted it by a fraction of an inch, peering into the dim hallway.
Servants were running past her room, their faces pale in the torchlight.
"They are going to tear each other apart in the yard!" one female servant whispered frantically to another as they hurried toward the back exits.
Rhea’s frown deepened. What could possibly bring such violence to the sanctuary gates so soon after the last attack?
"We must see for ourselves," River snarled, her predatory instinct taking over. "We can’t hide in here."
Rhea nodded silently. She turned back to the bed and saw Eli sitting up again, his amber eyes wide in the dark. She walked back to him, placing her hands gently but firmly on his small shoulders.
"Listen to me, Eli," she said, her voice dropping into a low tone. "You must stay inside this room. No matter what sounds you hear outside, do not unlock this door unless I come back for you. Promise me."
Eli looked up at her, swallowing hard before he nodded. "I promise, Mama. Uncle Adam said a warrior must always be a man of his word."
Rhea felt a brief pinch of frustration at the mention of the Alpha’s name, but she simply nodded. "Good boy."
She kissed his forehead, slipped out into the hallway, and locked the door behind her. Her senses were hyper-alert as she hurried toward the main courtyard doors. The closer she got, the louder the roars became.
The heavy, wet thud of a massive wolf body being slammed against the stone wall made her pause, her pulse racing.
She pushed the heavy outer doors open and stepped into the courtyard.
The night air was thick with the scent of pine, burning wood, and raw wolf pheromones. A massive bonfire crackled in the center of the yard, throwing long, wild shadows against the stone walls. Unfamiliar warriors sat in a wide, tense circle, while two massive wolves tore at each other in a bloody brawl in the center of the dust.
But it was the head of the circle that caught Rhea’s eye.
Two men sat in high, fur-lined chairs. They wore heavy, ornate cloaks of silver fox and bear pelt, their postures radiating absolute authority. They did not look like mere guards or border messengers. They looked like royalty.
Her jaw tightened. The messengers from the Serpent-Spine pack had promised to return at dusk for her reply, and now, the night was crawling with foreign power.
One of the sanctuary guards crept up beside her, bowing his head quickly to hide his trembling hands.
"What is happening here? Who are these men, and why are they spilling blood in the yard?" Rhea asked, her voice sharp and low.
The guard swallowed, his eyes darting toward the bonfire. "They have been waiting for you, Luna. The two sitting at the head of the circle. They are Alphas. They refused to leave the sanctuary without seeing you."
Rhea’s heart hammered against her ribs. Two Alphas had left their home territories and marched straight to sanctuary gates?
From the corner of her eye, she saw one of the seated Alphas whisper to a guard. The guard pointed a finger toward the steps. The Alpha’s dark eyes locked onto Rhea, and a slow, arrogant smile spread across his face. He offered her a small, patronizing nod.
Rhea did not nod back. She stood like stone, her silver eyes cold as she tried to calculate their next move.
Suddenly, the smiling Alpha stood up, raising a hand. "Enough!" he commanded. His voice carried the heavy weight of an Alpha’s command, and the two fighting wolves in the dirt instantly separated, panting and bleeding.
But before the Alpha could step toward Rhea, the second Alpha rose from his chair, blocking his path. The first Alpha grabbed his arm, his lip curling back to bare his white fangs in a silent, deadly threat.
Rhea’s brows pulled together. She walked down the stone steps, her voice cutting through the tense silence of the yard. "What is the meaning of this? Why are you bringing your pack wars to a sanctuary?"
The first Alpha stepped around his rival, extending a hand toward her. Rhea looked at his hand, then let her eyes drift to the heavy fur draping his shoulders. Embossed on the leather strap across his chest was a coiled black serpent.
It was him. Alpha Draven. The ruler of the Serpent-Spine pack.
He adjusted his heavy cloak, his jaw tightening slightly at her cold reception, though his smooth smile quickly returned. "So this is the famous Rhea." He smiled. "You are even more beautiful than the rumors."
Rhea said nothing.
"Good. I hatre women who talk too much," Draven said, his smile wider. Then he snapped his fingers.
Behind him, his warriors pushed a heavy wooden cart forward. It was piled high with foreign fruits, chests of shining jewels, and the carcasses of fresh, slaughtered game.
"Alpha Draven at your service, Luna," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I canceled three wars to be here, because I had to come receive your reply in person. I realized that my messengers may have lacked the proper respect when they spoke to you earlier. I assume that is the only reason you rejected my initial offer."
In her head, River let out a vicious howl of disgust. "Rip his throat out! Get this snake out of our sight!"
Rhea stared at Draven, then let her gaze slowly drift over the cart of glittering bribes and the heavily armed warriors standing behind him. Her face smoothed into an expression of cold, unyielding armor. She looked back into his dark eyes.
"My answer is still no, Alpha Draven," she said, her voice echoing clearly over the crackle of the bonfire. "Take your gifts, take your men, and leave this sanctuary. You are a nuisance to our peace."
Draven’s smooth smile vanished. His nostrils flared, his knuckles cracking as his hands clenched into tight fists.