Shackled to the Crown

Chapter 2

Jemma stood nervously next to Michael as they felt the other pack cross the borders. Tiff stood by Jemma's side and Nick by Michael's.

Soon they came into view through the trees.

Brent the towering Alpha, flanked by his Beta and Third and the rest of the pack following behind.

There must have been about thirty of them which dwarfed their own pack's numbers.

Both Michael and Jemma could feel the tension within their own small pack as the larger one approached.

Brent looked mean as always and was a dominant presence, much like an Alpha should be.

Michael was also in Alpha mode, one step ahead of front line and looking proud and intimidating.

"Greetings Alpha Brent," he spoke calmly when they were pretty much on top of them.

Brent stopped a few feet away from them, respectfully not invading the pack space.

Brent nodded on acknowledgement to the greeting, "You want to discuss an alliance," he spoke plainly.

"That is correct," Michael nodded.

"I think that is best done in private," Brent suggested, glancing back at his own pack.

The faces among them showed distaste, smugness and some discomfort.

They really didn't like their pack and the thought of an alliance didn't seem to be sitting well with them.

Jemma ignored them however, it wasn't their choice, it was their Alpha's choice.

"Of course," Michael said and then gestured Brent to follow.

'Would you entertain the other pack?' Michael asked Jemma through their link.

Jemma shot him a poisonous look, 'You want me to entertain those mutts?' she asked incredulously. The thought of even having to speak to them was bad enough, but to entertain them?

"My Luna will make sure your pack is comfortable while we discuss business," Michael assured Brent, much to Jemma's dismay.

Then Michael, Nick, Brent and Brent's Beta made their way inside, presumably to Michael's office.

Tiff gave Jemma a pointed look before her voice entered Jemma's mind, 'Are they serious right now?'

'Very,' Jemma sighed internally, 'Let's just try to be nice and give them little reason to hate us.'

Jemma looked back at the rest of the pack.

Lily and Teagan were shooting daggers into the opposing pack, whereas Lucas and Darren were looking mildly nervous but trying to keep their faces calm. Harry, the Third, however looked like he wished to be anywhere but here.

Tristan was stood at the very back under the shade of the porch looking mildly annoyed while he leant against the side of the house.

Jemma knew they were all staring at him, he was one of the main reasons the other packs didn't respect them, but each to their own.

"So," Jemma forced out a cheerful tone as she addressed the other pack, her mind racing for an idea on something to do, but she was struggling.

"Paintball," Tiff suddenly chirped in, coming to Jemma's rescue, "Who's game?"

There was a long awkward silence before a man, who appeared to be their Third, stepped forward, "I'm up for it," he glanced back at the pack, giving them cue to follow suit.

* * * *

"I don't believe an alliance is a good idea," Brent stated, looking through the papers.

Michael frowned, "Why not?" he couldn’t say that he hadn't expected this, but it was still disheartening when it came.

"Our pack has a reputation to uphold and I believe an alliance with your... pack, could tarnish that."

Michael balled his fists at the statement. Others packs did not believe that his was a proper pack, though they did pretty much abide by all pack rules.

They were well established in the area now (whether the other packs liked it or not) and had their own territory. By all meanings of the word, they were a pack.

"Maybe the other packs should not be so judgemental," Michael growled back.

Brent sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I'm not your enemy, Michael," he said in a low tone, "There are packs desperate to get their hands on this land, the rogues want it back, and you aren't a big pack."

Michael shuffled a little uncomfortably in his seat. He knew that they were on prime land and that it had been previously occupied by rogues, which is why other packs hadn't claimed it. They had moved in just as the rogues had migrated though they were back and hanging around the territory.

Jemma had no clue that they were in danger and he'd like to keep it that way and hopefully fix the problem before she had to find out.

"Besides, your - unorthodox - method of doing things has really rubbed other packs up the wrong way," Brent continued.

"Unorthodox?" Michael proved, though he had a feeling he knew exactly what he was going to say.

"The vampire," Brent replied, "You have a vampire among your ranks, wolves’ sworn enemy. You can't expect everyone else to just be okay with this."

"I do, actually," Michael retorted, "It is our choice as a pack, and my choice as his Alpha, he abides by our rules. It is none of anyone's concern who I choose to have in my ranks."

"That may be true, but don't expect any sort of alliance, because no pack would willingly side with a vampire," Brent warned.

"So be it," Michael nodded, knowing that this alliance wasn't going to happen, "We will have to find other ways to defend ourselves then."

Michael retrieved the paperwork from Brent's side of the desk and compiled them neatly before shoving them back into the desk drawer with a little more vigour than intended.

There was a slight tension that hung in the air as he did so.

"Look," Brent sighed, "If you get in serious trouble then call me, but I won't be able to sign a serious treaty."

"Thank you," Michael said, it wasn't much but it was better than nothing, "I think we're done here."

Brent got up from his seat, his Beta following as he made his way to the door, just before he exited he turned back to Michael with a puzzled look, "Are you attending the ball?"

Michael looked back with an equally puzzled expression, "Ball?"

"At the Palace? All packs in the area have a mandatory summons," Brent rooted in his pocket for a moment before bringing out a slightly crumpled envelope and tossing it to Michael, "Mine came this morning."

Michael turned over the envelope in his hands and his blood ran cold as he saw the emblem embossed on the back.

The big C.

The Cairnes family crest.

"You should be getting yours soon," Brent shrugged, "But there's a heads up."

Michael opened up and read the letter contained inside.

Indeed it was a royal summons to all the packs in the area to attend a ball. It did also state it was mandatory, which was fantastic... not.

After he was done reading Brent's Beta collected it from him and handed it back to his Alpha.

"Word of advice," Brent said seriously, "Don't bring the vampire," and with that he left. Leaving Michael staring at the now closed office door.

"s**t," Nick breathed, voicing exactly what Michael was thinking.

"We need to go escort them out," Michael said, trying to drag his mind back to the present.

They met Brent and his Beta just as they were in the entrance hall, and what they met outside was absolute bedlam.

There was a raging paintball war outside, which wasn't terrible, apart from the mess and shouting.

They caught sight of Tristan being harassed by Brent's Third.

He had him pushed up against the railing on the porch with his head dangerously close to the sun's rays.

"Give me one good reason, leech!" Brent's Third snarled at Tristan. Tristan returned the snarl with equal amounts of hatred as he bared his fangs at him.

Nobody had noticed this heated exchange with them being caught up in the paintball war.

"Pete!" Brent barked at him and his Third's head snapped towards him.

Not only that, the entire war outside stopped immediately.

"Back down!" Brent ordered.

"But he -" Pete tried to argue, but it just infuriated his Alpha even more.

"I said back down!" Brent commanded using his Alpha tone and Pete immediately obeyed, releasing Tristan and stepping away.

The whole of the grounds were silent.

Jemma ran to Tristan's side as he brushed out his wrinkled shirt.

She stood defensively between Tristan and Pete and set her eyes on Brent with a cold expression.

"I think its best you leave," she said in a quiet and menacing tone.

"Don't worry, Luna, we were doing just that," Brent replied, his tone just as cold. Then he turned, giving Michael a parting nod before leading his pack back towards the tree line and towards their own territory.

"Nick, Harry, escort them out, make sure all of them cross the border," Michael instructed.

Nick nodded and Harry replied with a "Yes, Alpha," before they both took off after them.

Once they were out of sight Jemma stalked towards Michael, "What the hell was that about?" she snapped.

"Don't worry about it -" Tristan began to say but Jemma cut in.

"Yes, I will worry about it, they attacked a pack member in our own grounds!" she shouted, "Why didn't you call for help?" she asked Tristan.

Tristan just shrugged, "I can handle myself."

"Clearly," she narrowed her eyes at him and then turned back to Michael, "I don't want an alliance with those savages!"

"Good, because we aren't getting one," Michael snapped back, a little harshly before going back inside.

Jemma stood dumbstruck for a moment before storming in after him.

"He rejected the alliance?" she shouted angrily.

Michael swung around on her, "Of course he rejected the alliance," he shouted back, "We have a damn vampire in the ranks!"

Jemma's face went beet red as she screamed back, "He's our friend! It doesn't matter what he is!"

"Not to us, but to them it does!" Michael pointed in the vague direction where Brent and his pack had departed.

"Then screw what they think! We don't need them!" she screamed back.

Michael turned around covering his face with his hands to try and control his temper.

It wasn't her fault.

She didn't know the extent of the danger they could possibly be in without some sort of back up.

There was a knock at the door that brought both their attentions away from the argument.

Tiff was stood there looking a little sheepish, "Sorry was I interrupting something?" she asked tentatively.

"We -" Michael began but Jemma cut in.

"No," she said with the fakest ever smile, her eyes still giving a death glare at Michael, "In fact I was just coming to find you," she smiled at Tiff, though some of the bitterness showed through.

Jemma strolled over to Tiff and linked arms with her, leading her out of the door, leaving Michael on his own.

He stared after them, not sure whether to be livid at Jemma's actions, or afraid of what she was planning.

Either way he collapsed down on one of the couches rubbing his face.

"Safely out of the territory," Nick stated as he entered the room.

Not a moment’s peace in this house even with a small pack like theirs.

"Good," Michael said, without moving his hands from his face.

Her heard Nick wandering around the living area, but didn't move his hands to see what he was doing.

He was probably trying to find the ever elusive remote.

"By the way, Alpha," he said, "Someone dropped this off at the borders."

Michael finally moved his hands from his face, only to be greeted with Nick holding out something to him.

An envelope.

His heart skipped a beat as he stared at it, not wanting to take it.

Nick gave him a glum look, knowing full well what it contained.

Michael took it in a shaky hand and read the front.

FOR THE ATTENTION OF:

ALPHA COLLINS OF THE WOLFSBANE PACK.

They went by Collins to avoid him being found out by the Palace guard.

Little did they know they had inadvertently found him anyway.

This could not end well.