Riding my bike through the gates, I paused when I saw a few cars in the driveway. Immediately, I felt my stomach knot up in reaction. There would be a meeting of the four wolf packs tonight.

I hated to be there when the four top Alphas met. The laws of our clan stated that the person on the lowest rank in the family had to remain kneeling with their head bowed throughout the entire event. Since I was the lowest in the Bellamy pack, I would have to spend two hours kneeling until there was a break.

Sighing heavily, I continued my way up the driveway and entered the garage, placing my bike in the back. I walked through the side entrance and entered the kitchen.

"Laticia." My mother always managed to say my name with just the right amount of irritation.

I lowered my eyes and let the back of my neck show. "Yes, ma'am?"

She walked closer. I could feel her cold eyes trailing over my body. "Your father wants you to prepare some snacks for the other packs before you come in."

I nodded, keeping my eyes focused on the ground. She made a 'tsking' sound and walked off.

Once I could no longer smell her, I raised my head and sighed, brushing an annoyed hand through my hair. I had wanted to hit my books right away. I had even hoped that I wouldn't have to deal with the pack meeting at all.

Still, there wasn't any point in complaining. Not like anyone would listen, and the truth of the matter was that the worst thing that could happen was that someone would actually hear what I was saying.

Making my way to my room to drop off my books, I went back to the kitchen, holding three rabbits in my hand.

I had to give our guests the best we had, and well, I couldn't exactly keep these three a secret for long in a house full of dog noises.

"Where is she?"

Cora met her husband's steely stare with a bland one of her own. "If by 'she' you mean your daughter...she is in the kitchen." She walked past him. One of the servants was helping him into his bright red robes. The gold lining caused little flecks of light to bounce off.

He turned back towards the mirror, "She shouldn't be cooking. She should be getting prepared for the pack meeting."

Cora gracefully sat at her vanity, observing her clear skin in the mirror. She leaned back, letting the hired hairdresser begin her work. "Her skill in cooking is above average. If you are wishing to continue with your plot, her being able to showcase her skills will be a plus for you," she drawled, lifting a magazine off the counter of her vanity.

"My plot?" her husband repeated as he turned to face her, his eyes narrowed. He glared at her. "This is not my plot. It is the only way to get his power behind our people. Do you wish for the Talves to gain the upper hand?"

Cora stared at him silently for a moment. Her husband, the Alpha of the Bellamy family. She'd been sold to him when she was 23. She had been locked in a room without food for five days because her father was adamant that a man had to lead their family and that she should be happy to be matched to such a strong alpha.

Three children and six ex-mistresses later... she still hated him. But that wasn't what he'd asked her.

She sighed, closing her eyes. "If the Talves were to gain the upper hand, then you'd lose the shares my father gave you in the LT foundation. It is more lucrative for me if the Talve family stayed in their place."

Bran nodded, grunted, and turned back to the mirror in front of him. "We are one of the oldest packs, yet we are dwindling in numbers. The best way to keep the Talves from swallowing us whole is to ally ourselves with a more powerful pack. I have heard good things about him." A maid walked forward and placed the golden fob watch on the front of his vest. The crest of a wolf with the head of a dragon in its mouth was etched on the front.

Turning away from the mirror, he placed a comforting hand on Cora's shoulder. "Trust me...it's for the best. She will be mated to a strong male and be a mother. What more could she ask for?"

After that rhetorical question, he left.

Cora opened her eyes and stared at her own bitter reflection. "Yes, what else?"

Finished with roasting the rabbits, I left the rest to one of the maids and quickly made my way to my room. I was mainly in charge of the house chores, but the house wasn't exactly small. I liked to think of myself as a housekeeper and not an errand girl.

Opening my door, I was taken aback at the sight of a brown Grecian styled gown sitting on top of my bed. Smelling perfume, I jerked my door open further, only to come face to face with a woman holding a hair dryer and a comb.

My hackles rose as I slowly entered my room. "What's going on?" I asked, half nervous and half curious.

She smiled at me softly. She put me in the mind of those multi-million dollar makeup artists.

"Nothing, sweetheart, we just have to get you all fixed up for the pack meet." She walked forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. Her thin boning made it clear she was probably a bird changeling.

Her eyes brushed all over my head and down to my toes. "I'm Marsha, and I'm going to make you look wonderful."

Seeing the determination sparkling in her eyes, I decided it would be best for me to just go along with it rather than fighting tooth and nail against it. Something told me I would lose.

She sat me down and proceeded to yank at my hair.

As I let her steady chatter fall into the background, I wondered how I was going to get any of my homework done.

I was so close to being able to win a four-year scholarship to one of the Ivy League colleges, I just hadn't had time to call and set an appointment. Chewing my lip, I let the thoughts of my future and my schooling fill my head.

After Marsha was done with yanking and pulling me every which way, I was finally able to look in the mirror. She'd pulled my hair into manageable ringlets that fell against my face, turning the sharp angles and noise into a softer expression. A circle of gold thread had been woven into the curls. The Grecian gown fell to the floor, accentuating the curves of my body.

I would have smiled if I didn't feel a sudden pang of fear. I'd never been dressed in such a way at these meetings. I mean, the ones I had actually been required to attend. I held no power in the house or in the tribe, so there really wasn't a reason for me being at them.

Shaking off the dark thoughts, I adjusted the bodice. It had to be the books I'd been reading, filling my head with all these dark thoughts and scenarios.

Saying a quiet thank you to Marsha, I headed out of the room towards the 'Cave'.