Mated To The Alpha King (by Gabriella) novel Chapter 1

I wake up to the sound of someone knocking on my door as the sunlight starts peeking in my bedroom. Groaning, I cover my head with my pillow. It's too early in the morning.

"Scarlet?" I hear my mother's voice calling on the other side of the door.

"Go away," I moan out, my voice muffled by the pillow. A few seconds pass by and I sigh, thinking she already left. Then I hear the door knob turning and my mother comes in, looking at me with a displeased look.

"You should be up by now, young lady. Today is a big day. Everyone's already up and you're still on your bed, sleeping?"

"Mother, please... let me sleep."

"No," she answers firmly. "Get up. We need to find you a fine dress. You should be prepared beautifully for tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Have you forgotten?"

"What?"

"The Shadow pack is visiting. Alpha Blake, together with his Beta and warriors are coming tonight."

The moment I hear it, I grimace in discontent. I almost forgot. My father has invited Alpha Blake to visit our pack a long time ago to offer a truce. For a time, the Alpha hasn't answered our request. But when he did, the letter says he wants something in return. My father thinks it's gold he wants. But I hardly believe the infamous Alpha Blake, who can have anything he wants, kill whoever he likes, will ask for a pile of coins in exchange for peace.

I despise him. For everything he's done to our pack. And my father is a fool for trusting him.

"The pack needs to be presentable tonight," my mother continues, "and you, young lady, need to be on your best behavior. I don't want you doing anything that will get on the bad side of the Alpha."

Sitting up, I look up at my mother and nod. "Yes, mother."

She sighs when she sees my sad expression. "I understand how you feel, sweetheart, but you have to understand this is the only way we can make peace with our enemy. Alpha Blake has a strong pack and we are helpless against his warriors. You have to understand, your father and I are only doing what's best for the pack."

"I understand."

"Good." With that, she tucks my hair behind my ear, kissing my forehead. "I've prepared your breakfast in the kitchen." She proceeds to walk around my room, opening my curtains and letting the sun shine through the darkness. Her red hair shines bright as the sunlight touches it. My mother is a redhead, just like me. Some say I look like her when she was younger. With my long red hair and blue eyes, the similarities are uncanny.

"You look exhausted, sweetheart," I hear my mother saying. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"No," I answer truthfully.

"Is it those dreams again? About seeing a big black wolf?"

I nod. "I usually dream about chasing the wolf. But this time... he's the one chasing me."

"And did he catch you?"

"No."

"Hmm... Perhaps you should let it catch you and see what it all means. You might be surprised."

"It's just a dream, mother. I don't think it means anything."

"You’ll never know," she shrugs. "Come on, sweetheart, you need to eat breakfast."

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"You look like a fat guy with long hair," my friend, Janna, comments, looking at my baggy dress in the mirror.