Chapter 5 The Price of Land

Lyra

My father looked at me for several seconds.

Then he said calmly, "I was thinking of arranging for Kira to mate with the Prince."

I stared at him. "What?"

My father's expression didn't change. "I will offer an arrangement between her and the Prince of the Sovereign Crown Pack."

For a moment, I couldn't process the words. "You want Kira to become the Lycan Prince's mate?"

"I want to give the Council something they value more than land. An heir from one of the oldest surviving wolf bloodlines in the world, a Sinclair."

My blood ran cold. "Kira isn't a bargaining chip."

"I know," Dad's voice softened.

"Then how can you even suggest this?"

"Because if the Prince takes Kira as his mate, the Aurelia Moon Pack becomes family to the Crown. And perhaps family doesn't have to surrender a third of its territory."

I stared at him, horrified.

I understood what my father was trying to do.

The Council hadn't simply sent us a letter.

They had moved a piece on a chessboard. And my little sister was the piece he intended to move.

"But did you consider what happens after Kira becomes the Lycan Prince's mate?" I asked.

Dad frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What if they decide that being family gives them an even greater claim over us? What if they take everything instead of just a third?"

His expression tightened. "They wouldn't—"

"Wouldn't they?" I leaned forward. "Think about it, Dad. They already believe they have the right to take our land. Now imagine Kira becomes their princess. What stops them from claiming that Aurelia Moon is practically part of the Crown's territory?"

My father was silent.

"The farms. The timberlands. The mines. Duluth." I shook my head. "They could take control of everything while leaving us our titles. We'd still be called the Aurelia Moon Pack, but we'd answer to them."

I paused, letting my words sink in.

"We'd become puppets in our own territory."

"My Goddess," Dad breathed. He sank into his chair, rubbing a hand over his face.

I watched him for a moment. Then an idea took shape.

"Kira may not be the solution."

Dad looked up. "Then who is?"

I met his eyes. "Maybe I am."

"You?"

"If the Council wants a connection to the Sinclair bloodline, give them the heir. And as heir, I can negotiate."

His eyes widened. "Lyra, no."

"I will make the sacrifice."

"What do you mean you will sacrifice?"

I swallowed. "I'll do whatever is necessary." My voice trembled, but I forced myself to continue. "Even if it means sacrificing my happiness with Jax."

Dad stared at me.

And for the first time since I'd entered his study, he didn't look at me like his daughter.

He looked at me like the future Alpha of Aurelia Moon Pack.

"Okay," my father said at last. "Before offering the Prince a bride, I will negotiate an increase in tribute. If they refuse, then I will suggest a mating between you and the Prince."

My heart skipped. Hearing my father say it made it painfully final.

"You will be eighteen in three months. If they accept, your mating ceremony will take place on the night of your graduation party as planned."

His expression grew somber.

"As for Jax... You will have to reject him as your mate. Publicly. Only then will he have the opportunity to find another mate."

I nodded slowly, wishing it wouldn't be necessary.

The thought of rejecting Jax made my chest ache. But if it protected Aurelia Moon, I would do it.

"But let's not be hasty," Dad continued. "We'll sleep on it. If Jax lands the deal in California, I may simply offer the Sovereign Crown the profits from it. The amount would be substantial enough to satisfy them while allowing us to keep our land."

I nodded. "Who else knows about this letter?"

"Jax."

My head snapped up.

"He was here when the courier delivered it."

"And does he know what you're planning?" I asked. "Does he know you're trying to form an alliance?"

"No." Dad shook his head. "Although he was here when Alpha Rex Kaiser called. Jax asked what Kaiser wanted. I told him it was business."

I frowned.

It wasn't that I didn't trust Jax. I simply didn't want him going behind our backs and rallying the pack against us. Something similar had happened to my great-grandfather.

No one in the family ever spoke much about it. All I knew was that several of Aurelia Moon's oldest families had once turned against him. No one had ever explained why, but I suspected the wolves had simply demanded better pay.

"Does Mom know?"

"About the Lycans, yes. About their demands, no." Dad's expression hardened. "And I'd like to keep it that way."

I looked at the letter in my hand. "Then we should hide this." I handed it back to him.

Dad turned toward the enormous Sinclair family portrait hanging behind his desk and pressed his thumb against a concealed panel in the frame.

A quiet click sounded, and the portrait swung open, revealing a small steel vault behind it. He placed the parchment and envelope inside, then closed the vault and locked it.

"No word to Jax about this," Dad said.

I nodded.

"Good night, Lyra."

"Good night, Dad." I rose from my chair and kissed his cheek before leaving the study.

The rest of the manor was dark and quiet. I climbed the stairs slowly, one step at a time, feeling as though someone had quietly placed the weight of the entire Aurelia Moon Pack across my shoulders.

A few months ago, my greatest concern had been getting into Northwestern.

Tonight, I was considering giving up the future I'd always imagined with Jax to marry a complete stranger.

I reached my bedroom and closed the door behind me. After everything I had discovered tonight, there was no way I was going to sleep.

Wolves were ruled by Lycans.

And here I thought Lycans were a myth.

I switched on my desk lamp, opened my laptop, and connected to the WolfNet Secure Line, the encrypted network used by the major packs for governmental, legal, and historical records.

I typed my first search.

SUPREME ALPHA COUNCIL

The screen filled almost instantly with seven names.

I began reading.

The Council wasn't governed by a single Alpha. It was an assembly of seven High Lycans, each representing one of the oldest surviving noble bloodlines.

Seven seats. Seven families. Seven ancient bloodlines.

And above them all was the Sovereign Crown—the ruling pack of the werewolf world. The High Lycans of the Council answered to whoever ruled the Sovereign Crown.

I clicked on Sovereign Crown, and a formal portrait appeared.

The man staring back at me looked nothing like the Alphas I knew.

He was older, but age had done little to diminish him. He stood tall, his powerful build evident beneath his obsidian robes and cape, black-ink tattoos visible along his exposed skin. His dark hair was streaked with silver at the temples, and a crown rested upon his head. His face was sharp and severe.

He was no Alpha.

He was a king.

I realized the true weight of the letter my father had received.

We weren't negotiating with just any pack.

We were negotiating with the people who ruled all of them.

And if my father failed to satisfy them, they could take a third of our territory simply because they believed they had the right.

I couldn't believe there was a Lycan King.

Worse, I might end up marrying his son.