Chapter 1
Ariana POV
The dark and gloomy day portrayed our sobering mood as my pack and I buried my brother, Jonas, the former Alpha of RedMoon. Another Alpha lost due to heartbreak in a long line of brokenhearted RedMoon Alphas. It was bad enough we lost our father and mother almost five years ago, but Jonas was young and strong. He had his whole life ahead of him. Heartbreak shouldn’t have been a cause of death, but like previous RedMoon Alpha’s cases, that’s exactly what took them out. Now the pack was stuck with an Alpha female who never wanted or asked for the position and responsibilities.
What kind of cruel goddess would design a bond to form so tight that one mate couldn’t live without the other? Most found that romantic, the sick fucks. Me, suffering through so many losses made me realize the bond was a cruel fate, not something to look forward to. Standing here as I watch my brother’s coffin be slowly lowered to his final resting place, I vowed I would not follow my brother and my lineage’s footsteps. I rather reject my fated mate than suffer the same death as those before me. Our people, my pack had been through enough. I swore the curse of fated mates ended here.
Francie, my baby sister, the only family member I had left, let out a loud choking sob, drawing my attention back to the here and now. I gathered her into my arms and gave her what little comfort I could offer. She’d grown up so much since I last saw her and I knew she liked to think she was all grown up already, but at fourteen, she was still such a pup. She clung onto me for dear life as her sobs grew louder. I let her cry it out, at least one of us was able to let the tears out. Me, I’d shut off my emotions. There was too much to handle after this, and I couldn’t afford to lose my shit right now.
As the last shovel of dirt hit the plot, I guided my still sobbing sister back to the pack house. Just as the sky opened up, drenching us with the cold pouring rain, Francie suddenly collapsed, sending me into a panic. I roared for a doctor as I raced to the pack hospital. After a quick examination, Doctor Columns told me Francie fainted due to stress and exhaustion. She was also dehydrated, so they put an IV on her, but she should be fine soon. Some rest, food and fluids would do her a world of good. I was told to do the same. I absentmindedly nodded but knew food and rest would be the furthest thing I’d be doing for the rest of the day.
After checking on Francie, I headed to the Alpha’s office to see what mess I would be dealing with as Alpha of RedMoon now. The quick glance I managed to get of the pack house wasn’t very promising, and I tried to steel myself for what was to come. Five hours with Beta Ron, the five Elders and two lawyers, I realized we were screwed. The pack territory, land that’s been with our pack for hundreds of years, was mortgaged off with barely anything left in the bank to support us. No wonder I wasn’t challenged for my position, no one wanted to deal with the mess that my brother left. What little money I did have saved up from the Alpha King’s service would only see us through one month, and that would be a rough month.
With no solution in sight and a deadline fast approaching, I dismissed everyone for the night except for Beta Ron. I wanted to smash the room until there was nothing left standing, instead I opted for the bottle of cheap whiskey I’d found in one of the desk drawers and proceeded to drink the liquor straight out of the bottle before offering it to him.
“How did my brother let things get this bad?” I asked Beta Ron.
“As you know, most of our revenue was from restaurants and businesses catering to the public. When COVID hit, most of our businesses had to be shut down. We were fine living on reserves, but then we lost Luna Brandy and your brother, Alpha Jonas, lost interest in life. Most days he refused to get out of his room.” Beta Ron paused to take a gulp of the liquor. “I didn’t even know he was using the pack lands as collateral to keep the pack going. I thought we had enough in reserve.”
“Anyone of you could have called me home when he started pulling away!” I yelled in frustration.
“I wanted to but your brother refused. You were off living your dream, making a name for yourself in the Alpha King’s army. Everyone was so proud of you! First female to ever make the cut for the King’s elite guards. He didn’t want to take that away from you.” Beta Ron answered, patting my shoulder to offer comfort. “It’s getting late, get some rest Alpha, the troubles and worries will still be there in the morning.” Beta Ron said before walking out with his head bowed in weariness.
That dream and ambition was long gone with the death of my brother. Now I didn’t even have time to grieve for him. Morning found me alone, still awake, and I was still too damn sober for my liking. However, when Beta Ron escorted Neils, the Alpha King’s secretary to the office, I was glad I was sober enough to listen to what he had to say. I had one year in the King’s service under my belt, two if we were counting training. Truthfully, I hadn’t thought I made any impression with the King Alpha. I was one small minor soldier out of thousands, but apparently I was wrong. Either that, or they knew of my circumstances and knew I was desperate.
Looks like dreams do come true, and Neils was about to provide me with the answer to my unspoken prayer. The cost? Just my soul in payment, kidding, five years of my service to the crown, no questions asked.
