Calla's POV
The scents of roasted meats and spiced vegetables filled the grand dining hall, but I had no appetite. Seated at the ornate table, I felt their eyes on me—Alpha Garett, Luna Selina, and Hera, the golden-haired girl who once believed she was their daughter. Across from me, Hera offered a sweet smile, her eyes sharp and calculating beneath it.
The tension was suffocating. My fork scraped against the plate, the sound grating in the oppressive silence. Alpha Garett broke it first. “Calla, I know this is overwhelming, but you’re home now. You are the rightful heir, our true daughter. Your place is here.”
I set my fork down, trying to keep my trembling hands steady. “You keep saying that, but I don’t even know you. I grew up in the human world. My parents—” My voice cracked. “They raised me.”
Selina reached across the table, her hand warm on mine. “They loved you, and we’re grateful they kept you safe. But the human world was never meant for you. You belong here, Calla.”
I pulled my hand back. “I don’t belong anywhere—not here, not there. Everything I trusted is gone. And now you expect me to just... accept this?”
Before anyone could respond, a knock echoed through the hall. The doors creaked open, revealing a tall man with piercing blue eyes. His commanding presence filled the room.
Alpha Garett stood. “Ah, Jacob. Perfect timing.”
The man—Jacob—nodded to Garett but kept his attention fixed on me. “So, this is her,” he said smoothly, his tone carrying both curiosity and judgment.
Luna Selina’s smile was strained. “Calla, this is Alpha Jacob Windsor, son of the Alpha King and leader of the Windsor Pack. He is also... your future husband.”
The room spun. “What?” I whispered.
“It’s tradition,” Garett said firmly. “As the heiress to this pack, it’s your duty to strengthen alliances. A union with the Windsor Pack ensures peace and prosperity.”
“You can’t be serious,” I said, my voice shaking. “I don’t even know him.”
Jacob leaned casually against the doorframe, his smirk sharp. “I’m not thrilled either, but duty is duty.”
His indifference ignited a spark of defiance in me. “I’m not marrying anyone. I don’t care about your traditions or alliances. This isn’t my world.”
The silence that followed was deafening. Garett’s jaw tightened, while Selina’s eyes softened with something like sympathy. “You’ll understand in time,” she said gently. “This is your destiny, Calla.”
I pushed my chair back, the screech of wood against stone cutting through the quiet. “Destiny?” I laughed bitterly. “My destiny was stolen the moment I was dragged into this nightmare.”
Storming out, I walked aimlessly through the hallways, desperate for air. I stopped in a courtyard, the cool night breeze brushing my skin as I tried to steady my thoughts. How could they expect me to marry a stranger? To become someone I wasn’t?
“You’re running away already?”
The voice startled me. I turned to see Jacob stepping out of the shadows. “What do you want?” I snapped.
“To talk,” he said calmly. “You’re not the only one who didn’t ask for this. But we don’t always get to choose our paths.”
I crossed my arms, shielding myself from his gaze. “And what if I refuse? What if I walk away?”
Jacob stepped closer. “Then you’ll face the consequences. In this world, running isn’t an option.”
Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared into the shadows. My chest tightened, my thoughts spinning, when another figure emerged.
Hera.
She approached, her smile sweet but her eyes glittering with malice. “You’re quick to storm out, aren’t you?”
“What do you want?” I asked, exhausted.
“To make something clear,” she said with feigned sweetness. “You don’t belong here. You’re an intruder in a world you don’t understand.”
Anger bubbled beneath my skin. “If this is your way of trying to scare me, it won’t work.”
She laughed softly, the sound cold and hollow. “Scare you? No, Calla. I’m giving you a reality check. You’re not the savior of this pack. You’re a disruption. And disruptions get dealt with.”
Her words were a thinly veiled threat. My fists clenched. “What are you trying to say?” I demanded.
Hera leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “Stay, and you’ll regret it. I’ll make sure of it. I’ve fought too hard for everything—my family, my position, and Jacob. I won’t let you take any of it from me.”
She straightened, her gaze piercing. “You’re not ready for the war you’re walking into, Calla. And when it comes for you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
With that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me frozen in place, her words echoing in my mind.
