Chapter ４

And, while Snow remains soothingly cradled within Amanda’s arms, with her ear pressed firmly to her chest … listening to the steady, calming heartbeat … Snow unconsciously exhibits her childlike habit – which she does whenever she’s highly upset and on edge – and, begins to suck on her thumb. Amanda looks down upon Snow and smiles; continuing to stroke her sister’s hair and pat her back.

Then, her smile disappears; and, she starts feeling a bit somber herself. She feels sorry for Snow; hating the situation that the pack’s putting her in. She’s especially angry that their own father would allow Alpha Jacob to dictate that Snow has to marry someone against her will; even if it means the possible alliance to another pack. But, then again … like most of the other pack members … their father – or, seemingly more apropos to say, her father – never really thought of Snow as being his daughter. And, this also has Amanda feeling sad.

Once Snow calmed down … Amanda can tell she had by the fact that Snow had stopped sucking on her thumb; and, instead of keeping her ear tightly pressed down firmly in one spot to listen to her heartbeat, Snow started nuzzling the side of her head all around Amanda’s chest … Amanda gently sits Snow back up beside her, and asks her point blank …

“Snow … you don’t want to marry Alpha Michael; do you?”

Snow looks down; remaining silent. Then, utterly surprising her; she hears Amanda say …

“Then; don’t.”

Snow snaps her head back up; and, stares at Amanda. She’s totally stupefied. “But? … But … I have to marry Alpha Michael. … Don’t I?”

“Why? … Because Alpha Jacob says you do? … Our father? … Why do you have to marry him if you don’t want to?”

“I thought the pack …”

Amanda abruptly interrupts “… what about the pack? Do you think the pack really cares about you? Why should you give a damn about what the pack wants?”

A totally confounded Snow still can’t believe the words coming out of her sister’s mouth. She can’t help but to just sit there; staring at Amanda with a partially agape mouth. And, when Amanda regains her composure; she softly places her hand on Snow’s cheek, and gently turns her face to her.

“Snow … you know I love you more than anyone else in this world; right?” Snow nods; and, Amanda continues, “You are my dearest sister, after all. … Heck … I was the one who named you.”

Snow sees the first opportunity of the night to playfully rib her sister. “Yeah … about that …” She stops mid-sentence and stares into Amanda’s eyes; then giggles.

Amanda smiles back and chortles, “Okay … whatever.” She then places her other hand on Snow’s other cheek, and brings Snow’s face closer to hers; then, speaks in a sentimentally, soothing tone, “I love you, Snow … I always will. And, I only want what’s best for you … what keeps you happy. … And, if not marrying him will make you happy … then; please Snow … don’t marry him.”

With that being said; Amanda lets go of Snow’s cheeks, stands up and gets out of the hot spring, and looks back to Snow. “Just think about it. … I’ll see you back at home.”

Amanda shapeshifts into her wolf-form, and runs off. Snow remains in the hot springs … for the first time, actually noticing the warmth of the water … and, sits there soaking; trying to take what her sister had told her, and sort through her thoughts.

The day before the ceremony, Alpha Michael and his entourage arrive at the Alpha’s residence – more like a compound - where a sprawling four acres of grounds contain an immense, grandiose mansion … which houses the Alpha’s and Beta’s families … and, dozens of other houses, designated to high level pack members … including Gamma Darius and his family … and, guest houses for visiting dignitaries and honored guests. The Lightning Bolt Pack Alpha will of course be staying at the mansion; while his entourage will be put up in a couple of the larger guest houses. Later in the day, as more of his congregation arrives at their territory; they will be provided with housing around town.

The twenty-eight-year-old, Alpha isn’t bad looking; but, he certainly doesn’t possess that ‘drop dead gorgeous’ look, either. His looks are just average; with an averagely-built physique … certainly nothing to write home about. However, being an Alpha, his aura does naturally emit a powerfully, charismatic persona … which definitely would be a plus; if it wasn’t for those unappealingly, overbearing traits of his. Alpha Michael carries himself with an air of pompous arrogance; acting as if he were descended from some sort of regal lineage. He has a tendency to exhibit a haughty demeanor; while being blatantly condescending to most around him. Alpha Michael is also known to run his pack with an iron-fist approach of ruling; allowing no tolerance for any of his subordinates to question his authority. He’s quick-tempered and impulsive; always wants things his way; and, is constantly on a power trip – despite the fact that the Lightning Bolt Pack isn’t necessarily considered to be one of the most powerful packs in the nation; though they can be viewed as a formidable opponent … and, a legitimate threat under the right circumstances. But; his most detracting character trait would have to be how he views most she-wolves as nothing more than sexual objects, existing solely to appease his own sexual desire and self-gratification needs. From the very moment of his arrival, with a whole new ‘stock’ of she-wolves ripe for his picking; he has ogled over quite a few of them with unrelenting, lecherous eyes.

After dinner, instead of keeping company with Alpha Jacob and Beta Carlyle – which the idea of having to partake in some inane, droll conversation bores him to death without even doing so – Alpha Michael opts to reside to his room for the evening; requesting that his bride-to-be be brought upstairs to him in about an hour. When he and two of his attending valets enter his room; there is a rather tempting looking, early-twenties something, buxom maid making some finishing preparations to the room. Instantaneously, all three of the libidinous, visiting wolves get a rise in their pants; while the maid, with her back still to them, can smell the scent of the influx of testosterone-laden, pheromones swirling about in the air. She warily turns around, and apprehensively asks; with her eyes lowered …