A Resolve Of Steel

Kian gasped, he was certain that Kaida was well past the childish fantasy she painted in her head. Unlike when they first met four years ago, she was older, obviously, but also wiser on the ways of the pack.

He was an underground prisoner, there was simply no redeeming his situation.

"What's with that look? You don't think I can do it?" She demanded.

Kian massaged his temples, "You have much better things to use your time on. Don't waste your energy on a shriveled up old man-"

She sighed, "Let me stop your self deprecation Kian, I already have a way to get you out of here." She interjected, inching closer she said, "The Alpha… I mean dad promised that he would grant any wish of mine on the night of my turning ceremony. And as the leader of this pack, getting one prisoner out wouldn't be asking too much." She said in a reasserting tone.

But Kian's worry did not collapse. "If you go through with that, then he'll know all about you coming here." Kian reached for her cheek and gently caressed it. "The last thing I'd want is for you to be in any danger." His eyes watered at the scene painted in his head.

Kaida shook her head, "I know dad can be intense, but he's my father Kian, he'd never hurt me that way." She reached for his hand and held it in hers. "He loves me dearly, he just has a hard time showing it-"

"Kaida, you're not listening. I'm a criminal, the last alpha put me down here for a reason. It's best if you don't come here-" before he could say another word Kaida got up and folded her arms.

"Oh come on Kian! You couldn't even hurt a fly! Whatever it was that made grandfather put you in here I know that there was some sort of mistake."

Kian shook his head, "Kaida-"

"And more importantly, don't you want to try finding Damien?" she interjected, shutting Kian up.

She curled her lips into a smile. "You said you were waiting for him down here, well, if he won't come to you, then why don't you try going to him." She suggested, her willfulness outshining any logic.

To her whatever crime Kian committed seventeen years ago couldn't have been so bad to have him locked up like some animal in a small room underground. She didn't know the sort of man her grandfather was, but she didn't see herself taking his side.

"Kaida, please," Kian whispered, "I don't want you getting hurt, not you too."

Kaida wanted to ask him what he meant by that, and why his eyes always held this immense sadness when looking at her. She wanted to ask why she felt so attached to him and why she wanted to help him so damn much.

If Kian was really this heinous criminal he painted himself out to be then why hadn't she heard about him at all. His name was on the pack records and no one seemed to know a damn thing about his existence.

Something felt off about the whole situation.

Wearing a weary smile she said, "I swear I'll be fine. In two weeks, once I shift and become a full fledged member of the pack, I'll get you out of here Kian, I swear it." The young woman promised, unaware of the weight of her words.

Two weeks breezed by and with the changing of the evergreen leaves to a mystifying brown, came the most anticipated night of the decade.

Alphas from all districts gathered to witness the turning ceremony of the council head's daughter. And of course, so did their sons and daughters, who were in tight competition to garner Kaida's favor and hopefully form a mate bond.

"Fated Mates? Please, that is so outdated. I prefer picking my partner, someone I can picture spending the rest of my life with." Ella said over the sound of drinks being poured.

The she wolves surrounding her nodded in approval, "That's right! It's too much of a hassle looking for a mate, and who even gives a damn what the goddess thinks."

Ella grinned from ear to ear, "That's right, daddy says that as long as you're flexible in bed, you can charm any Alpha."

She went on, her gaze pointed at the tall woman in a white dress, surrounded by a sea of Alphas. "And my sights, are already set on the biggest fish in the-"

Her words were cut short by a harsh shoulder brush, that sent her crashing into the server passing by!

The tray of drinks fell miserably onto Ella's dress, running the blue body hug dress she had on.

"You idiot! Do you know who I am-" she turned her head sharply only to see Emerald, Kaida's chosen beta glaring harshly at her.

She scoffed while getting up, "I should've known from the rotten stench that you'd be here."

Emerald sneered, "I see you still don't know when to quit. Kaida will never settle for a bitch like you, the sooner you realize that the better."

At the mention of Kaida, the server's ears stood up. Lia raised her head from the mess she was cleaning, to make sure she heard right.

Her heart skipped a beat when she recalled the feeling of Kaida's mouth on her body two weeks ago, at the annual summit.

Ella clicked her tongue, "That's rich coming from you, the most desperate one of all. At least, I'm open with my intentions, I'm not so crafty than I'd become her beta to get closer to her." She revealed, earning a lip twitch out of Emerald.

Lia blinked twice, Kaida's beta was in love with her?

Emerald balled her fists and walked forward, defensively, Ella took a step back, her features contorted into a nervous expression.

"W-What? I'm saying the truth aren't I? You're just waiting for a chance that'll never happen! Because no matter how hard you try, an Alpha won't ever mate with their beta!" she spat out, drawing attention towards them.

"Ella, people are staring. Your brother will get mad if we cause a scene here." One of her followers whispered loudly into her ear.

Ella hissed, "I know!" she turned to Emerald, whose face was flushed with anger and a hint of maybe embarrassment.

She pointed at her lips then carefully mouthed the words, "Know your place." Before turning to leave.

Swiftly, Lia picked up all the fragments of glass and placed them on the tray. She got up, and watched Emerald storm out of the room, her eyes hidden inside her inner elbow.

But Lia was certain of what she had seen, and that was the crack of a woman who was believed to have a resolve of steel….