The Broken Crown

Between the Wars

As she gets behind the wheel and is about to be off, her window rolls down and I step forward to hear what she has to say. "Be careful of the men in this world, my dear, but most of all, be cautious of who you grow attached to."

With those words, my grandmother drives off, leaving me with her words hanging in the air as I look to the front door of her house. She was not a fan of my father, and two decades after his death, she still is not fond of him. It makes me wonder if she blames my mother's inevitable death upon him, warning me that attachments of the heart, both for romance and lust, are something to stray from in this world.

Heading back inside, I meet up with Cedric in my office, closing the door behind us as he takes a seat across from me. "This is really not anything which requires too much chatting, but there will be a Summit Meeting next Friday."

"Summit Meeting?" I question, confused as that term is not familiar to me.

Cedric nods, raising an eyebrow as he tries to figure out why I have never heard of this type of meeting. "It does not happen to often, only in times of, well, need. Every Alpha will meet at a location with no other pack members present to discuss pressing issues. No doubt this meeting was called because of all the rumors going around about who will be the next Alpha King - or try to claim that title - and the fact that you, Leala Maxwell, were just named the Alpha of Crimson Lock."

"So they want to discuss a potential war and meet me," I summarize, watching Cedric agree with my statement with a simple nod. "How worried should I be?"

"Well, if it is an ambush to kill you, then very worried."

"Is that a joke?"

"No," he replies, leaning back in his chair relaxed as I begin to stress out. "Though the chance of that happening is low. No one wants to kill the Alpha of Crimson Lock, that means a sure war will be on the way."

"Those elves who ambushed Crimson Lock a month ago, has any progress been made?" I change the subject for a brief second only for Cedric to shake his head. "Where will the Summit Meeting be held?"

Cedric hesitates at first to reply, catching himself before he replies, only to continue after a few seconds of thought. "The old palace."

"The one my mother burned down?"

"The one and only."

"Just great," I mutter, throwing up my hands as I look to my future Gamma. "I mean, what the fuck?! Why not have the daughter of Lily have her first Summit Meeting where her mother died. Like they could not have called a better meeting." I try and calm myself down. "Who called the meeting?" I ask, getting to my feet as I look outside to the white blanket upon the earth.

"Alpha River."

How would River react to the very Alpha he called a Summit Meeting over is the one he basically proposed to just the other week? Should I be worried he would not this news well when he finally sees who Leala Maxwell is? I am surprised Alpha Edward has not spilled and told everyone that Evelyn Matlock is the new Alpha of Crimson Lock, though he would face some scrutiny from those who despised my parents and found out he was housing the child of the Maxwell's for so many years. Perhaps he has more at play here than I thought he did. Luna Olivia is famous for just how much she loves to run her mouth, whether it be true or not.

"How do you prepare for a Summit Meeting exactly?"

<><>

The rest of the week goes by as if a montage in a movie. From helping my parents move into their new house on Crimson Lock territory to going back and forth between pack meetings, I find myself spread thin. As the weekend has passed and only a few days lie ahead of me before I travel to the ruins of the palace for the Summit Meeting, I spend my free time between the secondary living room which overlooks the backyard and the comfy bed of my room.