CHAPTER 3

Lily’s POV

 

Our pack was not so blessed with extraordinary strength and powers, so Father explained how over time, many members of our pack had chosen to crossbreed with other wolves in order to gain more mystical abilities and strength, leaving only our family as the last surviving true bloodline of the Silver shade pack.

 

“But despite our size.” My father said, his voice warm with affection, “We are united by our bond as a family and by our unwavering commitment to each other.”

 

I smiled and Father returned my smile.

 

“Why were you up earlier?” Father asked, causing my smile to temporarily fade away.

 

I hesitated, a bit unsure of whether to share the strange vision that had plagued my dreams. But his reassuring smile made me comfortable, so I began to recount what happened in my dream with the black wolf.

 

As I spoke, my father listened intently, his brow furrowing in thought. “It sounds like a powerful vision, Lily, most alphas begin their hunt for their mates by seeping into their dreams. If the female keeps on seeing this vision, then the alpha wolf has chosen her to be his mate.” He said his voice soft with understanding. “But fear not, my child. I know just the thing to ease your troubled mind.”

 

Closing his eyes, Father raised his hands over me as he murmured an incantation, weaving a protective spell that helped to calm my nerves and ease my troubled mind.

 

“There.” My father said, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips. “This spell will ward off any dark dreams and bring you peace and restful sleep.”

 

Well tucked in and with the spell taking its effect on me, I mouthed my gratitude to my father and succumbed to the sleep that gnawed at my eyes. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. I trusted in my father's abilities, hoping the dark wolf was not there to harm me.

 

The dark wolf kept appearing in my dreams.

 

As the years stretched on, Shawn and I transitioned from carefree children to young adults. Shawn now possessed an aura of mystique and power, his silver hair wavy to suit his sharp features and piercing blue eyes. Shawn's eyes are a piercing sapphire blue, reflecting the depths of his magical prowess and the icy determination that lies within.

 

Shawn's magical abilities became more mysterious as they were potent. Born of the pure bloodline of the Silver shade Pack, he possessed a rare gift for harnessing the elemental forces of nature, wielding them with precision and finesse.

 

I had also metamorphosed into a more beautiful young lady. My striking silver hair fell in perfect waves down my back like a shimmering waterfall. I had a slender and perfect shape, but I was still fragile.

 

Each passing day seemed to cast a darker shadow over our community. Our Silver shade pack, however, languished in poverty, our resources dwindling with each passing levy imposed by King Adonis.

 

Gathered in the meeting room, Shawn and I were seated, but only Shawn, with his position as the future alpha, was permitted to speak on behalf of our family.

 

Seated among the members of our pack was Smithson, a formidable knight of the Twilight Ridge pack, his presence a constant reminder of our tenuous position within the kingdom. As King Adonis announced yet another increase in our levy, a collective murmur of discontent rippled through the room, the weight of the burden settling heavily upon our shoulders.

 

“Another increase?” Shawn's voice rang out, his tone laced with frustration and disbelief. “How much longer can we sustain this, Father? Our people are struggling enough as it is.”

 

My father, his brow furrowed with worry, exchanged a weary glance with Shawn before addressing the assembly. “I understand your concerns, my son.” He said, his voice heavy with resignation. “But we have little choice in the matter. We must comply with the king's demands if we are to avoid further repercussions.”

 

But it's not fair! I interjected, unable to contain my frustration any longer.

 

Oh! That was a moment’s thought.

 

“Why must our pack bear the brunt of these levies while others thrive under the king's rule?” I asked more calmly but my tone hinted at the anger that was buried in my heart.

 

My speaking up was met with a stern look from my father and a silent reprimand for speaking out of turn. “Lily.” He said, his voice a stern whisper, “You know your place in these meetings. It is not for you to question the king's decisions.”

 

I lowered my gaze, chastened by my father's words, but the fire of indignation still burned within me. “I'm sorry, Father,” I murmured my voice barely above a whisper.

 

Before my father could respond, Smithson spoke up, his voice carrying the weight of authority. “Nobody really cares how you feel.” He said his tone was firm and unwavering. “You must obey the king, and his son, Marcus without question.”

 

"Marcus” The name sounded so familiar, like I knew who was its owner but I struggled to recall where I had heard it before.

 

“Marcus...” I whispered slowly, allowing my thoughts to wander. “Where have I heard that name before?”

 

Shawn turned to me, his expression troubled. “It is my first time hearing the king Adonis’ son's name too.” He said his voice tinged with concern.

 

As tension thickened in the air, my father's expression hardened as he prepared to accept the king's offer, resigned to our fate under the oppressive thumb of Twilight Ridge.

 

But before he could utter a word, Smithson's voice cut through the silence with a venomous remark directed at me, his tone dripping with disdain as he sneered, “And what use is a weakling like her? She is nothing but a burden to your pack, a stain on your legacy.”

 

The insult was like a spark igniting a powder keg, triggering a primal instinct deep within my father's soul. With a guttural growl, he began to transform, his body contorting and shifting until he stood before us in his magnificent wolf form.