Parade of Prospects

Kiarra

The heavy oak doors swung open, and I was presented for all to see.

With Mom and Dad on each side of me, bracing my arms, I felt somewhat better about the idea.

As we walked the rich green carpet toward the head table, my eyes avoided the clapping members of the various packs.

Instead, I focused on the glittering chandeliers and tapestries that had been hung, each with an image of Apex Pack history.

My heart thumped as we strolled in unison, my parents taking care to acknowledge each family head as we passed.

The dress I’d chosen was a crimson number that clung to me in a way that nearly stopped my breath.

The dress was the high point of the evening for everyone in the room. Adorned with lace and rubies, it was a sign of my father’s wealth that couldn’t be ignored.

I felt flushed by the time we finally took our seats.

“Why are they clapping?” I whispered to my mother, who was still busy soaking in the praise of her audience.

“Kiarra, you’re the alpha’s daughter! You are the future of our Pack; of course, they’re clapping.”

The way she responded was so matter-of-fact. As if it all made sense to her, to all of them.

Then why didn’t it make sense to me? I hadn’t done anything special; I was just a wolf. A member, just like them.

Eventually, everyone settled in again.

I took in the sights and smells of the feast set before us.

Beautiful platters full of rich meats, wines, appetizers, and soups. Anything and everything that someone could want was there.

I smiled, finally content, and looked at my sister.

Since it was my suitors’ ball, she was seated before us and not a part of the grand entrance.

“Hey,” I whispered with a smile, “you okay?”

Melody looked up from her lap and glared at me. She said nothing but took a sip of her drink.

I decided this was all a bit much, and maybe she was too young to want to sit here. After all, this was my event, and I was having a hard time enjoying myself.

After dinner had concluded, my parents stood to give a speech.

I brushed off the family tension and decided to play ball. I may as well try to have some fun.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Lunas and Alphas, thank you all for attending this evening!” my father started, beaming with pride.

The room erupted again in applause. I tried to sneak another glance at Melody, but she was still scowling.

“As many of you know,” my father continued, “our Kiarra is of age to accept suitors.”

He was met with more applause and some hollers from the back of the room.

“You are all friends to us,” he nodded to my mother, “and to our pack. Please enjoy yourselves, and may the best wolf win!” he joked.

His final words met with another round of applause.

“Better get ready,” I heard unexpectedly from my sister, who was staring at me.

“Ready for what?” I asked, genuinely a little confused.

“It’s your turn to make rounds, stupid,” she sighed as if I should know all about this.

Suddenly, Rose made a slight arm gesture that I supposed was my cue.

I stood and met her.

“You’ll go round the room and introduce yourself to each table’s Alpha.”

I looked at her in disbelief.

“This is weird, Mom.”

“You must!” she snapped, taking me aback.

I said nothing.

The hard grind of my father’s eyes dared me, but I kept quiet and accepted the awkward formalities that awaited me.

I started with the table closest, the Moons.

Alpha Moon stood and shook my hand, a sly smile gracing his face, “Nice to meet you, finally, Kiarra.”

My cheeks blushed, “Yes, you too,” I returned, my eyes struggling to maintain his gaze.

“This,” he paused before pulling in a young man beside him, “is my son Julius Moon.”

I smiled politely and shook his hand.

I moved to the next table of expectant eyes.

It was like a revolving door of options that was beginning to make me feel sick.

“Kiarra,” the Luna stood with her husband and shook my hand. “You look stunning,” she smiled.

“Thank you, you as well. Thank you for coming.”

The responses I gave were automatic, far from genuine, and more awkward than I’d anticipated.

“We’re the Blues, and this is our son,” she extended her arm to a homely-looking boy with glasses.

He reminded me of my sister, scowling and unwilling to be there.

“Jacob,” she scolded the boy; he looked up at me.

“Nice to meet you.”

That was it.

I felt it; it was time to move along. I could tell his parents were annoyed.

Clearly, partnering with Apex’s firstborn was a more coveted position than I’d known.

Finally, I made it to the last table and the last set of introductions. But this time something was different.

They seemed to know me. Or, at least their son did.

No introductions were needed.

“I’m Arion,” he said without any help from his parents, who, I noticed, were nothing like the rest of the Alphas and their luna.

There was something much darker in this bunch.

I could smell it.

“Shall we?” he asked with a gesture to the terrace.

I felt nauseous again, and I didn’t want to go. For some reason, all I could think about was the wolf in the woods, my true match.

Still, I knew I had to be polite, so I agreed.

Suddenly, I found myself alone with him.

“So, we meet again,” he smiled as he tried to lean in toward me.

Instantly, I pulled back. There was nothing about this character that was remotely appealing.

He was nothing close to the wolf I’d met in the woods, which made me wonder why he wasn’t there, too.

He clearly didn’t have a mate.

A light brush on my hand brought me back to the painful reality of having to talk to this buffoon.

“Our families have a long history, Kiarra,” he began, and I realized I was in for one of those self-absorbed monologues.

“We go back generations,” he nodded, “I think we know who the best wolf is for you.”

He slicked back his greasy-looking black strands of hair.

“Um, well, one step at a time,” I half-laughed, trying to lighten things up. The intensity in his eyes was creepy.

“Once upon a time, it was my brother, Ares, who was destined to fill this role.”

Ares? Where had I heard that name?

Suddenly, there was a flash in my mind. A memory I didn’t know I had or where it came from. I was bloody and bruised.

“He was a hero, you know. He gave his life for the cause.”

I looked up, “The cause?”

“The purity pact, the agenda that our families have been trying to uphold.”

I said nothing, so Arion continued, “We will have a beautiful life, Kiarra!” He got on his knees now, and I wanted to die on the spot.

~Please get me out of here~, I thought desperately to myself.

“You, me, our families. This is destiny!” he boomed with a flair for the dramatic that was cringe, to say the least.

I looked around nervously, but we were still alone. He took care to close the terrace doors behind him.

Fuck.

I had this deep urge to run as far and as fast as I possibly could.

Suddenly, my sister appeared from behind a bush. I hadn’t known it; she’d followed us.

“Hey, you crazy kids!” she sort of scoffed.

She said in an overly bubbly tone that told me she was up to no good.

“What? Melody, this is a private meeting!” Arion roared at her, but she remained unfazed.

“You’re wanted in the dining room,” she responded.

He probably wasn’t, but my sister was a hell of an actor.

Arion stood up, taking my hands into his and forcing me to his body, “I’ll be back for you.”

He turned and walked off.

I had recently heard those words, but they were not from him.

It made my skin crawl.

My attention gladly turned back to Melody, “What are you doing?” I laughed, relieved to be free of the weirdo that was now on his way back to the dining hall.

“I have to tell you something! Please, come with me!”

“What? Melody, what the hell are you talking about?”

“There’s no time, Kiarra! Please! We gotta go! Now!”