The Broken Crown

The Hand That Feeds

The tapping of the rain keeps me awake, the beating of my heart faint as my gaze settles upon the driveway of the house, the front door pulled wide open as I sit on the front steps. A few light sprinkles get my bare feet wet, the fabric of my jeans lightly damp as I pull my legs in closer to my body as I look out to the forest which closes in on the private drive which leads up to my house. The father I never got the chance to meet made sure this house was to be secluded, a thick forest separating this house from the rest of the world, yet I feel lost from the rest of the world out here. I feel lost from the people I should be close to.

Everyday feels the same - lonely...lost. Perhaps my father's intentions to seclude this house from the rest of the pack were not the most pure, for I remember learning that his home once sat on a hill closer to the pack house, surrounded by other pack members as well as the general population of the town. With the damage done to the pack house, perhaps I could look into construction being done to a portion of land out here? Perhaps two pack houses could be of use, to evenly split the amount of pack warriors to cover the territory better. Yet these topics are not ready to bring to the table yet - no - for they are of the topic when the war is over. I cannot simply call for construction which takes time, men, and money when war takes just the same, even more.

Taking in a deep breath, I stretch out my arms, glancing down to my phone to check the time as I wonder just when I can catch some peace of mind. Alpha Finch should be arriving anytime to discuss matters which are important to not just my standing in this war, by the very fabrication of this partnership. I am moving forward with the advice Alpha Finley provided me, for I know Finch has information I would rather not have spread about to the other allies in this pact, much less the general public fighting under the Crimson Lock flag.

The faint headlights which move through the trees inform me that my visitor is near. As I push myself to my feet and collect myself, I ready myself for the conversation I am about to undergo, as if some complex operation. No matter what happens, I need to remain collected. Alpha Penelope is no longer an ally and she had quite the amount of land which Finch could acquire after this meeting. I need to remind him not just of his place during this meeting, but I need to remind myself to not seem too controlling. I cannot just make it seem like if he refuses that I will cut off our partnership, for then he could be free to tell people of what I need him to hold secret.

As the sleek black car pulls into the circular driveway, I watch Finch step out out the car, umbrella in hand as he walks over to me, those eyes piercing into my own as he heads for me. "Alpha Leala, a please," he greats, almost sincere with his tone. As we head into the house, Finch places his umbrella into the hands of a staff member and we walk towards the office. "Why don't we discuss matters in the sitting room?"

"I would prefer a more private space," I inform, watching Finch as he stops by the doors to the secondary sitting area behind the living room. "Alpha Finch?"

"Are meetings really meant to be held in such boring locations? Please, Alpha Leala, when is the last time you held a meeting in a more casual atmosphere?" He is trying to test my limits, to understand the reason why I called him here today. He is trying to gage just how much I will need him to do what I will ask of him today. "Try to take a break from that all-professional alpha image. Relax."

Giving in, we soon find ourselves in the sitting room with a pot of coffee on the coffee table and a small plate of scones laid out before us by the house staff. As I lock the door behind the staff, I take my seat on the velvet navy arm chair and look ahead to Finch who sits before the tall window, all relaxed and not a care in the world.

"Thank you for meeting with me today, I know you were headed east to be with your men on the frontline."

"Please, it is very nice to be back here, with the next queen." Finch pops one of the small scones into his mouth, smiling at me as he does so. I bite the inside of my cheek, already bracing myself for a hard conversation. "Now what can I do for my future queen."