The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

3. The Central Building

The wolf to the left of the gate turned his head at me, hunger and playfulness circling in his eyes. "Do you, now?" he asked, with a dangerous smile. He looked at me like I was prey, a mouse in the wolf's den.

I felt like a weak mouse, too. But I didn't show it to the wolf in front of me --I kept my face stoic, and my stance upright. "Yes. It's about my Ascension." 

The wolf looked me up and down as his tongue wet his lower lip. Mocking me or intimidating me, I didn't know. I didn't care either. "I am under strict orders not to let anyone through," he answered, a menacing tone bedecking his every word. "I don't care what it's about."

"This is important. I'm sure you can make an exception. The Alpha would understand," I countered.

His menacing smile grew wilder, contrasting the wolf on my right who had not bothered to even look at me. "My apologies, wolfling. It appears there has been some miscommunication," the wolf offered, and I straightened my back a bit more, preparing myself to enter the center of the pack life. But his words drooped as he continued, "I am under strict orders not to let you in."

I shook my head in confusion. "What do you mean?" Beckett couldn't be serious about this. He couldn't take this away from me, not even he stood above our ancient laws and traditions. He had to realize this.

Then again, I didn't even know why I still seemed to be surprised.

"Are you stupid, wolfling? I meant exactly what I said," the wolf sneered, his menacing grin making room for a more frustrated expression.

My knees began to tremble, in anger, in fear, in all the emotions that were cursing through my veins at this instant. "There must be some mistake. Our Alpha can't refuse to see me this close to my Ascension!" I almost yelled out the words. In the corner of my eye, I saw the wolf to the right raise his eyebrow, still not looking at me.

The wolf I had been talking to grew more frustrated with each syllable that spewed out of my mouth. "And how, exactly, are you going to make him see you?"

That was a good question. How was I supposed to do that? I stood no chance against the two wolves before me. But still, I had to try. I went for it, went for the quick run-through, hoping to slip past them. But I barely made it three steps forward before the wolf caught me by my hand and crushed it in his grip.

I shrieked at the pain that came over me, realizing he had probably broken a finger or two. He pulled me closer, twisting my arm behind my back. "Death Moon honoring bitch," he spat, before twisting my arm, even more, my shoulder protesting in agony. But just when I expected him to go all the way--to dislocate my shoulder and perhaps break a few more fingers, the wolf let go of me at the sound of a commanding voice.

"Enough," Beckett growled. "Her Ascension is coming closer. I can't present a broken wolf on an Ascension, you sunburned imbecile." The wolf bowed his head down low, very low, in response. Like a pup who had been caught by its mother doing something he wasn't supposed to.

Pleased with his submissive subject, Beckett focused his attention on me, the first problem solved fairly easily. He pointed his finger at me before growling again, "What are you doing here? You are not welcome here. Leave."

I refused to move and I stood my ground. I hadn't come here to be knocked down or to be denied. Not this time. "I'm sorry Alpha, but my Ascension letter said I would be given further instructions by you. With the Ascension closing in, I wondered when exactly I could expect those instructions." I looked up at him. I hadn't bowed yet, but I wasn't sure he noticed. I hoped he didn't.

"I will talk to you, whenever I feel like talking to you, filth." He spat out that last word with a threatening tone, trying to diminish me to nothing.

"But-"