The news was thick and suffocating, and Emory stood frozen, her mind a flurry of disbelief and dawning realization. Her union with the Lycan King was what the Gammas who brought her were talking about. The thought was ridiculous, alarming, and the reality of what was being asked of her was preposterous.

“You’re saying that my—our fate, the entire war, hinges on me marrying someone I’ve never met? Because of some prophecy no one is even sure of?” Emory’s voice cracked, her usual composure fraying at the edges.

Trey nodded solemnly. “It’s much more than that, Red. It’s about ending a war that’s torn our world apart and killed more wolves than we can handle. It’s about peace.”

Peace. The word echoed hollowly in the vast hall, mocking her with its simplicity. She paced, her steps echoing off the walls, each footfall a beat in her chaotic thoughts. With a fierce desire to understand, she stopped suddenly.

“Tell me everything. If I’m to play a part in this, I need to know the whole story—not just the bits and pieces.”

So Trey told her. He told her about the First Hunter, a Chav’re ancestor who had struck the first pact with his dying breath with the goddess Aworyn and brought on the generation of Hunter Wolves. Trey reminded her of the prophecy that foretold the coming of the Last Hunter Wolf as a bridge between the wolves and the Lycans. He explained how the balance had shifted, how rivalries had flared into open hostility, and how their family had been caught in the crossfire, paying a steep price to protect Emory, the prophesied Last Hunter.

As Trey told her everything, Emory stood there, trying to wrap her head around it. Her earlier anger gave way to a deep sorrow. All those years spent hidden away for her safety suddenly made sense.

“So, Larc was’” She couldn’t finish the sentence, the reality of it choking her.

“He got ambushed by Lycan Sentinels on his way to Broiia,” Trey said, his deep green eyes darkening with pain.

They had a moment of silence to remember their brother. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her racing heart. In all of this, the thought of being cornered into a political marriage, especially with a Lycan bothered her.

“And the Lycan King knows about this—plan?” she whispered, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

“He knows,” Trey said grimly. “And he’s agreed to the union, for peace. But you should also know that not all in his council favour this path. There are those who would rather see the prophecy remain unfulfilled, especially the reigning Regent of the Empire. They profit from the war and fear the change this union represents.”

“I need to meet him,” she decided then and there. “Before any talk of marriage or prophecies, I have to know the man who holds the other half of this fate.” It was her life, after all, and she needed to know who she was dealing with.

Trey stared at her for a minute before nodding. “I’ll arrange it. We don’t have a lot of time before Hunter’s Moon, and the politics at play are more shady than you can imagine.”

“I won’t agree to this until I meet him. It’s hard to believe Lord Wulric would agree to mate with a wolf after centuries of waging war on us! He has a reason for agreeing to this, and I need to know it!” Emory said.

“I can promise you, Emory, that the Lycan King is not like his council. Plus, you’re a Chav’re, even he understands the significance of mating with the last female Chav’re,” Trey said.

Emory paced the room, her mind racing. “I guess that’s why you brought me home. To be a peace offering?”

“You’re more than that, Red.” Trey rose and walked up to her. “You’re a symbol of hope, a chance for a new beginning for both wolves and Lycans, and the Empire.”

Emory stopped pacing and faced him. “And if I refuse this union? What happens then?”

There was a pause, a heavy silence that filled the room.

“We could lose everything,” Trey admitted softly. “More fighting, more loss. This” union could be the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for the wolves.”

She stepped closer to Trey, her heart pounding. “You’re asking me to marry someone I don’t know or trust. How can I be the symbol of peace in a union built on coercion?”

Trey placed a hand on her shoulder, his sigh echoing as he squeezed softly. “I understand the enormity of what we’re asking,” he said gently. “But think about what’s at stake—the chance for real peace, an end to this senseless conflict. There is nobody else, and I truly wish there was.”

“I get it,” Emory sighed. “But I need to talk to him. To understand why he’s agreeing to this.”

“I can arrange a meeting for Saturday, but it will take some doing to reach the King,” he said.

She didn’t care how or when he did it. Basically, she just wanted to know why Lord Wulric would do this. But why did it matter? Was she really considering this? Now her mind was in overdrive, re-analysing everything she knew. Her brain needed some time to process. The only way to figure this out was to talk to Lord Wulric and ask him directly. But she couldn’t ignore the potential risks of confronting Lord Wulric. Could it be that this was a ruse to kill her? What if he revealed dark secrets she wasn’t ready for? Choosing to speak to him directly was a risk. It could either help her find out the truth or make things even worse.

It dawned on her why Aunt Kinshra had been so insistent on her rigorous training and isolation.

“Emory?” Trey’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

“I need to process all this and come to my own conclusions,” she said to Trey.

He nodded. “Come on. I’ll take you to the compound. The council meeting can proceed tomorrow. The wake is coming up.” He held his hand out to her, and she took a deep breath before taking it.

They walked out of the room together, hand in hand. He led her out of the hall, and the Gammas followed them to the fleet of SUVs now lined up at the bottom of the stairs. She briefly considered the continuation of the council meeting, then realized Trey likely handled it through their mind link—a connection she had to acclimate to.

Pausing on the stairs, Trey asked, “Is everything okay?”

“You’re babying me,” she said, with a touch of frustration. “Just like before I left. But I’m not that sheltered little girl any more, Trey. My life’s been nothing but training the past decade.”

Trey raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Every day?”

“Yes, every single day.” She nodded. “There was nothing else to do.”

He smiled. “That’s impressive. I figured Kinshra spent most of her time swatting boys away from you.”

She laughed. “Oh no, nothing like that. I only left the cabin a few times. Aunt Kinshra homeschooled me.” With limited interactions outside the cabin, she missed out on the typical experiences of school and forming friendships with peers her age. But it shaped her into an independent and introspective person.

“You resent me a bit, don’t you?” he asked like he could read her mind. She nodded, unable to bring herself to speak. He let out a sigh and said, “I understand. I am the one who made the decision to send you away.”

“I did at first,” she said. “I did until you told me why you sent me away. Keeping me in the dark made things harder.” She pulled her hand away from him. “I wish you had told me the truth before I left. It would have been better for both of us.”

He sighed and looked away. “I thought I was protecting you. I was young too, Red, and desperate to keep you safe,” he said.

“I can’t wait to see the compound,” Emory said, changing the conversation quickly. “My goodness, it’s been so long.” Her face lit up with anticipation. “Come on, let’s get going!” she said, grabbing his hand.

As they approached the sleek black vehicle, Emory thought about Aunt Kinshra and Rodyn. “Heard anything about Aunt Kinshra and Rodyn?” she asked as they were ushered into the car.

Trey shook his head. “Nothing yet, but I’m confident they’re okay. I chose them for this mission because they’re the fiercest Hunter Wolves we have. They were the best way to make sure you made it back safely.”

Emory squished into the car seat, trying to find some sort of comfort despite the knot of worry in her stomach for Aunt Kinshra and Rodyn. Trey’s attempt at reassurance barely scratched the surface of her anxiety. As they zipped through Kedar’s streets, she pressed her face against the window, the familiar sights sparking a weird mix of nostalgia and anticipation. Just as she started to lose herself in thoughts of home, the car took an unexpected U-turn.

“We’re heading to the East gate. We’ve got visitors from Eleado”,” Trey announced, his voice suddenly tight with something Emory couldn’t quite place.

“The capital.” Her head snapped towards him, eyebrows raised. “Why?”

“We’re about to find out,” was all Trey said.

The moment Emory heard that guests from Eleado” were on their doorstep, a shiver of unease ran down her spine. Eleado” wasn’t just any territory; it was the epicentre of Lycan territory, crowned by the King’s Tower—Eclin Tower.

Stepping out into the cool night air was refreshing, even though she felt completely out of place. Standing there in those clothes made her want a shower and a change more than anything else. The clothes clung to her body, drenched in sweat and grime from the scorching heat and earlier encounter with the Lycans. Every movement felt suffocating and uncomfortable, as if she was trapped in a sauna. As much as she wanted to take off the heavy black cloak, the combat pants and vest underneath looked so unladylike compared to everyone else.

The east gate was just as imposing as the south gate. A group of Whitecrest Gammas and Sentinels marched up to Trey, so in sync they might as well have been one.

“Alpha.” Their greeting was followed by a coordinated bow, which honestly, she found a bit much. When their gaze shifted to her, and they added, “Lady Chav’re,” she felt weird pride and awkwardness and forced a smile. The formalities felt strange, like wearing a dress two sizes too big.

“Talk to me,” Trey commanded, his voice cutting through the quiet with authority.

“There’s a delegation from Eclin Tower, Alpha. They’ve got a letter from the king for you,” the man who seemed to be in charge said, somehow managing to stand even straighter, if that was possible.

Trey’s question, “From the king or the Regent?” made Emory pause. She looked at Trey, wondering why the Empire had a regent when Lord Wulric was king.

“Lord Wulric appointed the regent about seven years ago. She is responsible for making decisions on his behalf,” Trey said to her. Emory nodded, understanding.

Emory’s eyes widened in surprise as she realized that Trey had heard her thoughts—she hadn’t expected their mind link to work quite like that. She quickly composed herself.

“From the king himself, sir. He will only deliver it to you. Should we let them in?” the commander replied.

“Absolutely not!” Trey shut down the idea of letting the Lycan delegation into Kedar with zero hesitation. “No Lycans enter Kedar until Sunday, and no exceptions, not even for Royal Mail I don’t trust. Cassius, inspect the seal on the letter and confirm it is in fact Lord Wulric’s private seal and not his conniving witch of a mother.”

The commander nodded and led half his squadron towards the small gate beside the gate. She turned to face her brother. What could be so important in that letter?

“Tommy,” Trey called out, snagging the attention of one of the Gammas who had been part of her welcome wagon. Tommy jogged over. “Make sure Lady Chav’re gets back to the compound safely. And have the Luna help her settle in.” Then he turned back to her. “I need to handle this, but I’ll catch up soon, Red.”

“Got it, Alpha,” Tommy replied, shooting Emory a respectful nod. “Lady Chav’re.”

With a reassuring smile at Trey, Emory turned to follow Tommy back to the waiting car. Even though she’d have liked to stay and find out what was going on, she had her own issues to deal with.