The Lycan's Flame: Book 1 in Love & Ruin Duology

Anastasia

“Yes, Grandma.” I rolled my eyes despite the smile that played on my lips. “I’m already on my way. How could you think I’d miss celebrating my birthday with you?”

“Good, because I’ve already started preparing,” she chirped happily.

I could hear the rhythmic whisking and grinding in the background, and my smile widened. She was undoubtedly baking her trademark plum cake, keeping up our little birthday tradition. Just the thought of it made my mouth water.

“I can’t wait,” I said, my attention drifting back to the road.

The southern territories stretched around me in a blur of green. Unlike the North, with its imposing mountains and endless snow, the South was lush and wild. Ancient forests covered the rolling valleys, their thick canopies broken occasionally by flashes of silver where rivers cut through the wilderness.

I had driven these roads countless times, but the view never really got old.

“Oh, and when you come in…I have a few people I want you to meet,” she added, not so casually.

“Grandma…” I grimaced.

“What? Don’t knock it till you try it,” she argued. “I don’t know how your parents aren’t worried, but I am not going to sit back and watch. I want to see my great-grandchildren before I die.”

“Grams…I will talk to you when I get there, okay? Gotta go, bye.”

I ended the call before she could say anything else and shook my head. My grandmother was obsessed with matchmaking, always finding some new candidate or other she thought might turn out to be my mate.

It was exhausting.

Yes, I was turning twenty-four soon and still mateless, but that wasn’t exactly a tragedy. Besides, I was sort of seeing someone. Occasional sex and dinner dates counted for something, right? I liked things the way they were. I didn’t have time for mate drama.

“Ms. Davenport…” Ralph’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“What’s wrong?” I demanded, leaning in.

“The car is acting up.” He grimaced as he glanced at the dashboard. “It’s not picking up speed.”

I frowned as the car began to slow despite his foot pressing harder on the accelerator.

“We have to turn back while it’s still running,” he said. “I’ll call one of the other drivers and have them meet us halfway so we can switch cars. Don’t worry. You’ll still make it to your grandmother’s before midnight. But we can’t keep going.”

“Fuck.” I glanced at my watch. “Okay. Turn around but do be quick, Ralph.You know Grams.”

Ralph nodded and took a sharp U-turn, heading back toward SilverCree, my pack.

Fifteen minutes later, we were on the forested road leading back to the pack. I pulled out my phone, hoping to call my grandmother and let her know I’ll be a little late, only to find there was no network.

Perfect.

“Are any of the other drivers coming?” I inquired.

“I’m trying to reach them, Miss, but there’s no signal out here.”

“Bloody hell.” I glanced at the dashboard. “And this car can’t go any faster?”

“No, ma’am.”

I sighed, but before I could say another word, Ralph slammed on the brakes. Tires screeched as the car seized, the violent force throwing me forward so hard the seatbelt nearly cracked my ribs.

“What the fuck, Ralph?” I exclaimed.

“Someone ran in front of the car.” He quickly unfastened his seat belt. “Stay inside. I’ll check.”

Of course, I wasn’t staying inside.

Ralph gave me an exasperated look as I climbed out after him. I ignored it, and we both rushed ahead to find a girl crouching in front of our car, shaking.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” Ralph demanded, looking pissed. “You could have been killed!”

I stared hard at the girl, her face hidden in her arms, and frowned.

Wait a minute...

“Wait…” I mumbled. “Claire?”

The girl stopped shaking and looked up, and the moment her eyes met mine, we both stared at each other in surprise.

What the fuck?

“Claire, what the hell? What are you doing here like this?” I demanded.

“Ana!” She rushed to her feet and threw her arms around me tightly. I hugged her back, having no idea what in heaven’s name was going on.

Claire was a close friend to me. We had grown up together, and despite being an Omega from my pack, she had always been one of the people closest to me.

“What is going on?” I demanded. “What are you doing here looking like this?”

“Ana…” she sobbed, fear clouding her eyes. “Help me! Please…help me! They are coming for me!”

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

“Who is coming?” I pressed, pulling her away and holding her at arm’s length. “What is it, Claire?”

The poor girl looked so terrified that she could barely speak.

“Maybe she needs some water,” Ralph muttered, walking back toward the car.

He returned with a bottle and held it out to her.

“Here. Drink this first,” I said gently. “And then tell us what happened. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it, okay?”

Claire grabbed the bottle with shaking hands and took several large sips. It seemed to help. Her breathing slowly evened out, and by the time she handed the bottle back, she looked a little less frantic.

I turned to her again. “Tell me. Who is coming for you?”

She gazed up at me, sweat beading across her forehead as her jaw tightened.

“The…the Beast’s men,” she whispered. “They are coming for me.”

My mouth went dry. Ralph had gone completely still beside me, staring at her with eyes as big as quail eggs. His face suddenly went so pale, like he had seen a ghost or something.

“Oh, Goddess…” he muttered. Then he looked at Claire. “Did…did your name come out this year?”

Claire slowly nodded, tears pooling in her eyes.

“I don’t want to go,” she begged, clasping her hands in front of me. “Please, Ana. I don’t want to go.”

I glanced at Ralph again, and the defeat in his expression made something inside me tighten. He already knew what she was talking about. He had known the moment Claire mentioned the Beast’s men.

“I don’t understand.” I looked between them, my confusion quickly turning into irritation. “Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on? Why are the Beast’s men coming for Claire? And what do you mean her name came up this year?”

Ralph lowered his head, refusing to meet my gaze.

“Ralph…” I warned, my patience running thin. “This is a command from your to-be Alpha.”

“I…” He swallowed hard. “We were all under strict orders never to tell you.”

I stared at him, stunned.

“By whom?”

“From your parents,” he answered, gazing up at me. “Luna will be angry if she finds out that I told you. Please…don’t make me.”

My temper was rising now. I took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose as I tried to steady myself. Something was seriously wrong. My parents had gone out of their way to hide something from me, and judging by Ralph’s reaction, everyone else seemed to know exactly what it was.

The Beast’s men wanted Claire.

Why?

Why would a centuries-old immortal Lycan King, whom people had hardly got to see out in public, want an Omega from my pack?

“Claire,” I said, turning back to her. “If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I can’t help you. Please, just tell me.”

Claire glanced at Ralph. He immediately looked away, shaking his head.

“Ignore him,” I pressed. “Tell me.”

She inhaled deeply, brushing the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. “The letter came last night…” she whispered, her lips quivering. “And this year, it’s our pack’s turn.”

“Our pack’s turn for what?”

“To send the Sacrifice,” she answered, her voice breaking. “This year…it’s me. They’re coming to take me at dusk.”

I stared at her, unable to make sense of what I was hearing.

A Sacrifice?The word echoed in my head, sending a chill down my spine.

My mind spun as I looked up at the sky. The afternoon sun was already dipping low, and dusk was only a few hours away.

I had to get Claire back to the pack and find out exactly what my parents had been hiding from me…

Before it’s too late.