The Alpha King's Mate of Flames and Cinders

Chapter 4 : Defiance

*Saoirse*

I braced myself as I entered my parents' sitting room, news of the royal summons weighing heavy on my tongue. My father sat rigid in his worn leather armchair, his face half-hidden behind the newspaper.

My mother perched tensely on the sofa next to Conall, whose stormy expression warned he already knew something was amiss. No one smiled in greeting at my arrival.

Swallowing hard, I forged ahead to break the uneasy silence. “I have been summoned to Egoren to present evidence to the royal council about the threats plaguing our village."

Father slowly lowered his paper, his eyes narrowing. “Evidence? What on earth have you stirred up now, Saoirse? Was a call from the palace not enough to embarrass us?"

Conall glowered at me. “You went raving to outsiders? Have you lost your mind?"

I flinched, but I stood my ground. “I did what I must to protect our pack since no one here was listening. The prince himself finds my claims credible and offers his sponsorship."

“Enough!" Father roared. “You will retract this attention-seeking petition immediately. No one gave you permission to invite royal scrutiny upon our pack."

Desperation clawed up my throat. “But our home is in danger. Please, we must request aid before it's too late."

Conall leaped to his feet, his dark Alpha energy rippling. “You will not undermine my future authority. As your mate, I forbid this defiant treachery."

Anguish nearly choked me. I wondered why they didn't just go and see the smoldering woods themselves. “If you fail to act, blood will be on your hands! I cannot stay silent!"

My mother reached for my hand, always seeking peace, but I pulled away. Her passive acceptance felt like a betrayal of our suffering villagers.

“Escort Lady Saoirse to her room," Conall gritted out to his guards.

The rough grip on my arm sparked panic. I waited for my father, the Alpha, to intervene, but he didn't. Tears burned my eyes as my mother stayed silent as well.

"You can't restrain me like some disobedient dog," I told Conall, standing up for myself.

He gripped my chin. His eyes were cold. "It seems you need to come to understand your place as my future Luna. You will do as I say, bear my children, and stay silent."

I wrenched free and tried to flee outside. His unexpected declaration of expectations rang in my ears as Conall's men escorted me to my room.

I sat on my bed for half an hour, wondering what was wrong with my parents and Conall. A timid knock on my door told me my mother had come to encourage me to mind my place like Conall suggested.

“Yes?" I grunted.

“Saoirse." My mother tiptoed into my room and closed the door behind her. “You shouldn't have gone behind your father's back and embarrassed him like that."

“What else was I supposed to do?"

My mother sat down beside me and took my hands. “Saoirse, you're old enough to stop acting like a headstrong child. You're almost a grown woman."

“I am a grown woman!" I protested.

“Then you need to act like one. I can only hope that when you get your wolf, it will give you a more even temperament." My mother sighed. “You're an engaged woman. You're going to be Luna of this pack. You're going to be the mother of the next Alpha. Your place is beside Conall, and you need to keep your rebellious thoughts to yourself."

“Mother, it's not rebellion. I have to do what I believe is right."

My mother squeezed my hands hard.

“Ouch!" I frowned at her.

“Saoirse. Like it or not, this is your future," my mother stated angrily.

I snatched my hands away, too shocked by her sudden aggression to even speak.

She stood up and walked to the door. “Get some rest. We will talk more about your wedding in the morning."

I had agreed to marry Conal, thinking it was the best thing for our pack. But now… There was no way I could willingly put my future, let alone the future of my pack, in his hands.

Needing to clear my head, I snuck out of the pack house and went to visit with my friend Aine.

She folded me into a wordless hug once her eyes landed on me.

“I've heard the rumors," she informed me. “You've been summoned to the palace, and the Alpha is angry."

“That sums it up."

“Come on, let's get some air."

Aine walked with me through the village toward the woods. Her eyes looked out in the distance. I knew she was trying to see the charred earth I described.

“It's a ways from here," I said.

She nodded, taking in a breath of relief, but I knew she believed me.

“When will you leave?" she asked.

“Once I get confirmation of my ticket."

She nodded. “Do you want me to come with you?"

“Thanks, but no. I don't want you to get in trouble too. Just try to cover for me as best you can.

Aine swallowed hard. "I will try my best, though facing the Alpha's wrath terrifies me."

“Not as much as facing that beast if it decides to come to the village."

I watched a sudden shiver roll over Aine's body. I hugged her shoulders reassuringly. “I will be back with help before you know it."

Taking a walk with Aine calmed my unease after facing off with Conall and my parents. I was able to get a little bit of sleep that night and was relieved when the notice of my ticket reservation to Egoren arrived the next day.

Over the next few days, I made my preparations to leave home for Egoren in wary secrecy. I only trusted my anxious friend Aine to provide excuses should questions arise regarding my absence.

The waiting grated my nerves. I started at every unexpected sound, dreading discovery. Conall's constant hovering presence kept me on edge. His possessive hands grasped for me with increasing frequency, even as his face hardened into constant disapproval and displeasure.

I never expected that on the evening before I was set to leave, Conall would corner and confront me on my way to dinner.

“Stop your defiant games, Saoirse. I've run out of patience." His breath was hot on my neck and raised gooseflesh. “I know you are plotting and planning. No matter where you go, you belong to me. I will hunt you down and bring you back."

With my chin lifted, I held his stare. “Your threats do not scare me, Conall."

A growl rumbled in his chest. He seized my wrist in an iron grip. “Saoirse, you court more than danger with this stubbornness." He crushed me against him, his muscled frame rigid with tension.

Panic roiled my gut. I twisted violently free, hiding my true fear of him behind a mask of icy rage. “Do not test me either, Conall. I promise you will regret it."

“Miss? Are you alright?" an aging servant named Annabeth asked, forcing Conall to release me.

“I am fine," I assured her. “I'm just having a word with our esteemed guest before heading to dinner."

“I will walk with you," she offered, reaching out a hand. I took it, and she quickly escorted me to the dining hall. I wondered where our pack guards were and why it felt as if Conall was already taking over.

As I white-knuckled my way through an awkward meal with Conall and my parents, I knew I had to leave at daybreak.

As the packhouse remained asleep, I hurried, avoiding pack guards to rouse Aine from sleep. She awoke with a soft cry, blinking up at me in shock.

"Saoirse. What are you doing here so early?" Aine sat up anxiously and searched my face. My packed travel sack was clutched tight in one hand. "Are you leaving?"

I moved to perch myself beside her on the bed, and she hugged me. When she pulled away, I was not surprised to see the conflict in Aine's eyes. I understood that she had a war going on inside of her between obeying the Alpha and feeling compassion for me and the plight our pack faced.

She glanced toward the doorway nervously. “When they discover your absence, there will be hell to pay." Her voice trembled at the thought.

Gently, I touched her cheek. “I just need a few hours to make some distance and board the train. Even if they suspect I'm heading for Egoren, they will assume I boarded a bus. If they are looking for me, you can tell them about my usual spots. The fate of the pack could hang in the balance."

Aine searched my face for a long, solemn moment. With her spine straightening, she gave one firm nod. "May the Moon Goddess guard your way." Impulsively, she threw her arms around me. "I shall pray for your success, my friend," she whispered fiercely before pulling back.

I embraced her tightly in return, overcome with too many emotions to name. I then slipped away from her room, away from the village, and away from my pack.

I kept the hood of my jacket up and took an early bus filled with commuters to Norwind. The entire way, I felt the thundering of my heart against my ribs and constantly felt as if I couldn't catch my breath.

As the miles stretched between me and my pack, anxiety that I might never return began to overwhelm me.

I was relieved when the bus came to a stop at the corner in front of the train station. I stepped in the chill of the morning breeze and bustle of people on their way to work, doing my best to look as if I fit in.

I made my way into the station and waited my turn to reach the counter.

The elderly ticket agent looked at me with surprise as I eagerly walked up.

"Now where might a young girl like yourself be off to at this early hour, and unchaperoned at that?" He looked me over suspiciously.

I drew myself as tall as I could, knowing my short stature made it easy to mistake my age. I addressed the agent, willing my voice not to shake. "I have urgent royal business in the capital. There should be a ticket reservation here with my name, Lady Saoirse Strider."

The man hemmed and hawed, clearly uneasy about allowing a solitary young woman to travel alone, even after I produced an ID and the royal summons for him to inspect.

At last, he nodded reluctantly and printed out my ticket. "Best not to keep the royals waiting, I suppose. Stay safe now, miss."

I let out a breath as I boarded the mostly empty train, finding a window seat near the rear cars. As the whistle sounded and we jerked into motion, adrenaline rushed through me. I was on my way. Nothing could deter me from pleading my case.

I leaned my head against the window, watching the platform slowly pass.

Suddenly, my heart ricocheted into overdrive as I spotted Conall with two of his burly guards sprinting onto the platform, shouting angrily. I ducked down, wondering how he caught up to me so quickly. But it was too late. The train picked up speed, and the station receded rapidly from view. I sank in my seat, my heart hammering, as Conall's furious expression burned into my mind.

If things didn't go well at the palace, I knew there would be a reckoning when I returned. But the choice was made. I had to go to Egoren and meet with Prince Rhys to save Hunter's Glen.