Allister's Truth
"What??!" The room erupted in disbelief. How could they send their only princess on such a perilous mission?
"What are you talking about?" Allister laughed, assuming it was a jest. But Alorea was resolute. She had anticipated this reaction from her family and had resolved not to waver.
"It would be certain death. It's not worth it," her mother pleaded, hoping to sway Alorea's decision.
"No, mother," she countered, steadfast in her resolve. "This is what I must do."
"Why must you do it?" Her brother quickly approached her. Alorea could feel his simmering anger from her position, but she was prepared to withstand his reproach.
"If anyone should take this risk and negotiate peace with those ruthless beasts, it should be me. I am the crown prince, the heir. I can't stand by and watch my little sister walk into the jaws of death!"
His impassioned speech did nothing to dampen Alorea's determination. She was more than ready to face death, considering it a better fate than waiting in the castle for Nathan to claim her someday.
"Do you truly wish to do this?" The king's voice finally broke the silence. He had been eerily quiet, listening to the family's disagreement. "I ask you, dear, do you genuinely believe that you can negotiate peace with the Giants?"
"Are you seriously considering this?" Marianne was shocked at King Michael's willingness to entertain this bizarre proposition.
Alorea surveyed the faces before her, all marked with terror. Allister's horrified expression sent a chill down Alorea's spine. He had always been protective of her, the only one to object when Nathan proposed marriage, the only one to stand by her side against the arrangement when others tried to convince her to accept the alpha.
If only he could see what she had seen. If only he knew what the future held for the Night Wolves, then he wouldn't question her decision to approach the Giants.
Alorea moved closer to the king. His face was impassive, but she could tell that he was deeply concerned.
"I am no longer your little princess, father. I want to do this. Let me serve the pack, the kingdom. Let me prove my worth."
"You are inexperienced," her mother interjected, trying to influence Michael's decision. "If you want to be involved, we can involve you. But not like this, Alorea. Please, reconsider..."
"I permit it," the king declared, sending a wave of shock through the assembly. The chiefs and lord betas, who had been silent throughout the argument, exchanged glances. No one had expected the king to succumb to this madness. Aleric, the eldest werewolf in the Night Wolf pack, could no longer hold his tongue.
"Your majesty, this should not be done. It could bring great harm to the pack. Don't let the words of that strange man deceive you. We don't even know if he is who he claims to be..."
"Strange man?" Marianne caught the hint in a breath. "That Ockrapticuiz?? What did he say???"
"Forget about him. I am making this decision because I want to, and it is what Alorea wants."
"But father..."
Allister was cut off. "It is an order. I don't want to hear any more about this."
As Alorea walked away from them, she could feel her heart pounding. She had just successfully arranged a trip to the most dangerous kingdom for a princess of the Night Wolf pack.
"Why do you want to do this??" She heard footsteps trailing her, accompanied by Allister's voice. He sounded bitter and annoyed.
Alorea couldn't bear to face him, so she kept walking, hoping he would stop following her. It was a vain hope.
"Is it one of those princes in flashy clothing whispering in your ear?? Telling you that you can be heir, that you can be queen of the Night Wolves??"
"What?" Alorea stopped reflexively. How absurd did that sound? Her own brother accusing her of power lust.
She turned, bemused. "Allister?! How could you say that?"
"I saw that skinny servant hand you a letter last night. You followed him, out into the night. And you never returned."
"I came back..."
"You didn't stay long, did you? And the next time I see you, you're talking about meeting with the Giants to negotiate peace?? I say you have an agenda."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could her own brother think this of her? Did this mean that all these years, her brother had been wary of her presence in the pack, hoping she would never try to get involved in the leadership of the family?
Seeing the crushed look in Alorea's eyes, Allister looked guilty for a moment.
"Look, I don't mean to upset you, Alorea. But you should know that you're a woman. There are certain things a woman is meant for. You can't just go around seeking out dangerous Giants and putting your life at risk. When the time comes, a great prince will come for you. A strong alpha, worthy of your hand. And you will be his Luna. Until then, stay out of my way, sister."
Alorea watched as he stormed off, leaving her in her dismay. Zoe was the only one present when this happened, standing rooted a few feet behind the siblings.
"He must want to get rid of me so badly," Alorea muttered, just loud enough for Zoe's ears.
"The prince is simply stressed. He has been sleep-deprived, planning for the grand banquet, writing letters to the kings and queens of other realms, and dealing with the current war threats. He works as hard as the king himself."
That was all the more reason he needed help, wasn't it? Alorea thought, confused. Why then was he so hostile about her involvement?
"Could it be..."
No! Impossible!
She convinced herself. Allister didn't know about Nathan's treatment of her for three years. If he did, he would do something about it. Her brother wouldn't know about her predicament and do nothing.
How true that was, she could no longer be sure. The version of her brother she had just witnessed was unlike any she had seen in the next five years of her past life.
As Allister vanished from her sight, so did her strong faith in him. She resolved once again to go to the Giants and resolve this conflict. No matter what, she would change the future.
"Princess, why don't you change your mind now, before it's too late? It's dangerous out there. Because..."
A glance from Alorea was enough to silence Zoe.
"I am going. No matter what."
She retreated to her room, preparing for her departure. Hours turned into days, and soon the day came. Alorea was ready to leave.
A knock came at her door. She was standing before her full-length mirror, her hair so long it brushed against her buttocks, her eyes so vibrant they reflected a clearer image than the mirror itself.
"Come in already."
It was her mother at the door. Marianne still didn't want Alorea to leave.
"Since you came of age, your father and I have been waiting for the day you would choose a mate. But instead, you've chosen a journey to destruction? Please, Alorea, think about this one last time."
"No, mother! I have to do this, don't try to stop me."
"What will you do if things go wrong? How will you defend yourself?"
"We're werewolves, aren't we? Our weapons are within us."
"But yours isn't present, is it?"
Marianne's words struck Alorea with a harsh force. She turned to look at her mother. How did she know about Flur, her wolf? How did she know she was no longer there? How could she sense her absence?