The shrill ring of Suri's alarm sliced through the quiet of her room and jolted her awake. She groaned, reached out with one sleepy hand, and fumbled to switch it off. Mumbling something that made no sense even to her, she rolled over and tried to sink back into sleep.
It was Saturday, after all.
But the phone buzzed again. This time, it was not the alarm; it was a call. Suri let out another long groan, snatched the phone from the bedside table, and answered without even glancing at the screen.
"Can't a girl get five minutes of sleep?" she grumbled.
"Suri!" Amanda's bright, urgent voice burst through the speaker. "Don't tell me you're still in bed?"
Amanda was Suri's best friend and the only other girl from Moonfang Pack who went to the famous Aethelwulf Centralis University. Everyone just called it "The Central" for short.
Suri sighed heavily. "Where else am I supposed to be, girl?"
"At The Central! We've got the practice session for our group presentation on Monday!"
Suri shot upright in bed, sleep vanishing in an instant. She cursed under her breath three times when her toe slammed into the leg of her study table. Limping and muttering, she hobbled into the bathroom for the quickest shower of her life.
She dressed in a rush, tugging on jeans and a simple top, then headed toward the kitchen. As she hurried down the long hallways of the pack house, snippets of whispered conversation drifted to her from a cluster of omegas gossiping near the laundry room.
"…heard he's coming to take a bride from our pack," one said in a hushed tone.
"I wonder which poor girl he'll pick," another replied.
"I heard he has already asked Alpha to hand over Miss Emily. He threatened another war if Alpha does not agree to the contract. He wants the heir to the pack."
The others gasped. "But why?"
Suri hurried away from the gossiping omegas, a spark of anger rising inside her chest. The Lycan King was coming to their pack to pick a wife? She almost scoffed, remembering all the Lycans she had had the pleasure to encounter at university. They were all the same: closed-off, mysterious, and cold. They rarely spoke to werewolves and always carried themselves like they were better than everyone else, despite the fact that they attended the same prestigious university which their ancestors had built for peace and equity between werewolves and Lycans.
So why, after only two years of uneasy peace, was the Lycan King suddenly marching into Moonfang again to pick a bride like she was just another item on a shop shelf? Point, pay, and take home. He must be a sick bastard for wanting a wife who was not even his true mate.
Suri pushed through the side door and stepped into the crisp morning air before her Daddy Dearest could spot her and ruin what was left of her day.
***
"No single picture of him anywhere," Amanda muttered, her thumb still flicking down the screen. "The man doesn't exist online."
They were sitting in the busy university café, waiting for the rest of their group to arrive for the practice session. Steam curled from their cups, and the low hum of student chatter filled the air. By now, the whole Moonfang seemed to be whispering the same question: why was the Lycan King suddenly demanding a bride from their pack?
"Those Lycans," Suri said quietly, cradling her cappuccino. "I mean, why would their king decide out of nowhere to take a werewolf bride and threaten war if he doesn't get one? We've had peace for years. Why pick Moonfang of all packs?"
Amanda grinned, leaning in. "You're the Alpha's daughter. You ought to know the gossip before the rest of us. Aren't you the firstborn? The proper heir?"
Suri scoffed. "Don't say that too loudly, or my father will have you skinned. In Alpha Lawrence's world, Emily is his only daughter and his chosen heir." She shrugged. "Maybe the Lycan King wants a strong alliance with the most powerful werewolf pack. That's the only reason that makes sense."
Amanda's eyes narrowed, her teasing smile fading. "This doesn't feel like a simple alliance—"
The buzz of Suri's phone cut her off. The screen lit up with the contact name she had saved years ago: Daddy Dearest, with the rolling eye emoji to indicate the sarcasm.
"Speak of the devil," Suri sighed and swiped to answer.
"Where are you, girl?" Her father's sharp and impatient voice sliced through the line.
Suri's fingers tightened around the phone. He never used her name. It was always "girl" or "you," as if saying "Suri" might somehow make her real to him. The coldness still stung, even though she told herself she was used to it.
"Hi, Dad. I'm at The Central. We're having a practice sess—"
"Get back to the pack in twenty minutes," he growled, not letting her finish. "That's a command."
Her heart dropped like a stone. The drive from the university to Moonfang took almost two hours on a good day. Twenty minutes was impossible. She opened her mouth to explain how important the presentation was, but the line was already dead.
Amanda watched her, worry creasing her brow. "Are you alright?"
Suri blinked quickly, forcing a small nod. "I'm fine." She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I have to go home."
"What?" Amanda rose too, coffee forgotten. "Why?"
"Daddy Dearest wants me back in twenty minutes. Alpha command."
Amanda's eyes widened. "That's impossible, Su."
Suri gave a helpless shrug. "Sitting here arguing about how impossible it is won't change anything. I'd better start moving."
"But practice is important too," Amanda protested softly.
"I know." Suri's voice was quiet. "I'm sorry. I really have to go."
***
More than two hours later, Suri finally stepped back into the Moonfang pack house, and a gamma escorted her straight to her father's office without a word.
She knocked once, then pushed the door open. Her father stood behind his wide oak desk, deep in conversation with one of his gammas. He did not even glance up as she entered.
"Make sure everyone stays in line," he was saying, his voice low and tight. "We cannot risk provoking King Ragnar, not now."
"Yes, Alpha," the gamma said and bowed deeply.
"You may leave," her father ordered.
The gamma bowed again and slipped past Suri, closing the door softly behind him. Only then did her father's eyes lift to her. They were cold, flat, empty of any warmth.
Suri dipped into a slow, careful bow. "You requested my presence."
Different questions burned on her tongue. She wanted to ask him about what she had heard, about what was going on in the pack, and about the Lycan King's threats, but she swallowed them all, knowing he would never indulge her.
Dark shadows lay beneath his eyes; he had clearly not slept all night. Deep lines of worry creased his forehead. She knew why. Emily was his treasure, the daughter he had chosen as heir. The thought of losing her to a ruthless man would tear him apart.
He stepped out from behind the desk, hands clasped behind his back. "There has been a development," he said, his tone almost too calm. "King Ragnar arrives tomorrow. He has demanded a bride in exchange for continued peace." He paused, meeting her gaze without a flicker of regret. "You will go with him."