The Alpha's Bargain

Chapter 1: McKenzie

When McKenzie first received the news, she didn’t hesitate to agree. As the daughter of the Alpha, she knew her duty. Her loyalty was to her people, above all else—even herself.

Born into a pack of roughly 65 members, McKenzie was the middle child of Alpha David Harlow and Luna Isabel Harlow, who tragically passed away during a rogue attack when McKenzie was just seven years old. Her father was left to care for three young daughters: Rina, the eldest, was 11, and Charlotte, the youngest, was only three.

Their pack, Silverstone, was small, and their numbers of warriors barely reached double digits. For a werewolf pack, this meant vulnerability—open to attacks from other packs seeking to expand their territory or take new wolves as slaves. This was a constant fear among the community, as the Silverstones were not fighters. They were peaceful, and violence to them was always a last resort.

After losing their Luna, Silverstone barely managed to survive two more small-scale attacks from ambitious, smaller packs over the years. With his health deteriorating and no male heir to succeed him, Alpha David knew he had to do something to ensure the safety of his people—and his daughters—after he was gone.

The day had finally arrived, and McKenzie was about to make the ultimate sacrifice for her pack and her family. But as she sat at her dresser that morning, staring at her reflection, anxiety and fear began to creep in.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she was essentially being traded off to a man she had never even laid eyes on. She knew her eldest sister would never agree to something so primitive, and Charlotte was far too young. Even without these factors, McKenzie knew she would have been the one to do it, because it meant the survival of her people—and her family knew she would never say no.

Always the dutiful daughter, McKenzie never complained about the tasks asked of her, always respectful and obedient. But as she sat there, the bitterness threatened to take over. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, but she refused to cry. Despite the life she was about to tie herself to, no tears would fall.

She straightened her back, took a deep breath, and reminded herself that she had agreed to this. She had never questioned it. She had made her bed, and now she must lie in it.

Throughout this turmoil, her wolf, Kaia, remained silent. Kaia had made her feelings clear long ago. She had always pictured them falling for a strong male who would care for them and give them pups. But clearly, McKenzie was not a romantic, because agreeing to an arranged marriage and mating was far from romantic.

The thought of being used as a bargaining tool for some unknown Alpha saddened Kaia, and knowing that the connection wouldn't be true hurt even more. And so, the young wolf closed herself off from her human counterpart, mourning the life they could have had.

McKenzie shook off the negative thoughts and regained her courage. A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She immediately knew it was her father; he was the only one who knocked.

“Come in, Father,” she said softly.

David Harlow, Alpha of the Silverstone pack, slowly entered, his cane tapping against the floor as he limped toward her. Wolves usually healed fast, and were immune to most illnesses, but cancer was one thing even the Moon Goddess couldn't heal.

He stood behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder while his cane supported most of his weight. Meeting her eyes in the mirror, he opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He didn’t know what to say. There was nothing that could make this easier for his little girl. Seeing the small smile she gave him in the mirror as she squeezed his hand shattered his heart even more.

"It's okay, Father. I could have said no, but I didn’t. I'm okay. I want to do this," McKenzie said reassuringly.

Alpha David, unable to respond, simply nodded. She was so strong, just like her mother. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm proud of you. I hope you know that," he said, pausing before continuing, "I also came to tell you that our guests are at the gates. They should be at the pack house in about five minutes. We should get going."

McKenzie only nodded, taking one final breath as she stood up. Together with her father, they made their way to the pack house.

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