Chapter 2 Cinderella among the wolves

Ayla

I couldn't afford to get tangled in their nonsense. My heart raced as I shoved the boxers behind the sofa cushion, then crept closer to the door, just in case things went south.

Seconds later, Beowulf walked out of the bathroom, his sharp gaze locking onto me. "Report."

The emptiness in his eyes hit me like a punch to the gut. I hardened my resolve, but deep inside, my wolf shrank, tail tucked, crushed by the sting.

"All tasks completed as instructed, Alpha," Fangley said, drawing Beowulf's attention away from me. "Except the last guest room. Ayla needs more time to finish her duties."

Beowulf's gaze returned to me. "Explain."

The twins turned to face me, their identical glares sending static through the air. Anger surged in me-not just because they were trying to pin their laziness on me, but also because Beowulf acted like I was invisible, even as my wolf howled for his attention.

My throat tightened. What good would it do to play along with their game? I wouldn't gain their respect. They had taunted me every day about my murdered father.

I owed them nothing.

Beowulf raised an eyebrow, silent but expectant.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out. "It's easier for two people to finish the work of one than for one to finish the work of two, Alpha."

"Frida told us to unload the drinks delivery and set up the grill," Fangley cut in, eager to shift the blame. "She told Chlamydia over there to prepare the guest rooms."

The insult burned. My cheeks flushed with humiliation. That bastard had to use the harem's favorite nickname for me.

Beowulf's lips curled in a disgusted frown. For once, I was glad he didn't remember what had happened between us.

"Ask Frida," Clawley added, trying to cover their tracks.

Beowulf narrowed his eyes. "Not necessary." He surveyed the room, his gaze landing on the TV area. "Two empty cans of lager. Two dents on the sofa. Scuff marks on the table from someone using it as a footrest."

"We finished early, Alpha," Clawley said, unfazed.

Fangley nodded, adding, "Frida said we could-"

"Silence." Beowulf's voice sliced through their excuses like a blade. His nostrils flared as he walked over to the sofa and flipped the cushion, revealing the hidden boxers.

My breath caught in my chest, but I forced myself to keep a mask of indifference.

Beowulf held up the boxers between his thumb and forefinger. "You." His amber eyes seethed with fury as they fixed on me. "Get out."

Relief crashed through me in a tidal wave, rushing out with my breath. The twins would want to tear me apart for this, but by the time they got their bearings, I'd be long gone. They were tough, sure, but I was faster, more vicious-and I had a hell of a lot more to lose.

I bolted for the door, flinging it open just as a pair of enforcers stepped forward. My heart skipped a beat. Now it was three against two. If the twins had any sense, they'd take their punishment and forget about challenging the alpha.

Beowulf's growl rumbled through the air, making my skin prickle. "If you so much as blame the girl for this, I will-"

The door clicked shut behind me, muffling whatever Beowulf was about to say.

I stepped outside the guest house, greeted by the vast expanse of lawn. It was one of the warmest Spring Equinoxes on record, though I suspected it had more to do with the wards surrounding Logris, the supernatural city.

Logris sat in Richmond Park, one of London's largest outdoor spaces. It was mostly forest with deer and lakes, but security was tight. The supernatural world had been exposed to the human world a few months ago, and they'd been attacked. Beowulf and his colleagues on the Supernatural Council had upped the magic protecting us, though they were still fine-tuning the weather enchantment.

I spotted the bronze wolf sculpture, where the whipping post used to stand. My steps quickened as I headed toward it. The sculpture towered over ten feet tall, with chains wrapped around its neck, legs, and tail. Broken chains hung around its mouth, with pieces of metal floating, frozen mid-explosion. It stood atop a plinth labeled "FENRISÚLFR," Fenrir's wolf in Old Norse.

"Like it, do you?" A rough voice called from behind me.

I turned to find a man with quicksilver eyes, his scent sharp like copper pennies. Probably Frida's metal mage.

"It's brilliant," I said, gesturing at the sculpture. "How did you make this in a day?"

He rocked forward on his heels, grinning. "Three hundred years of practice and a pinch of natural talent. You one of the shifters?"

"Yes." I frowned. "Why?"

The mage rubbed his chin. "Do your wolf parties include sacrifices?"

I wrinkled my nose. "No. Why?"

"Because the new wards around Logris are melting like gallium on a summer's day." He stretched his arms and leaned to the side, popping his spine. "The extra magic from the Human World protection's draining power from the doorways to Heaven and Hell."

I glanced toward the guest house. "Should we be worried?"

"Only if you're into that spiritual stuff." He waved his hand, unconcerned. "Get a wardsmith to secure the statue, just in case someone gets any bright ideas about invoking gods, angels, or devils."

I stared at him blankly. "What's the point when you can just email or text them?"

He shrugged. "Just giving you a warning."

A door slammed open, followed by a pained grunt. Two enforcers shoved the twins onto the front steps. My stomach dropped. It looked like they were heading my way.

"Nice talking to you," I said quickly, stepping away from the mage. "Maybe you should tell the woman who handles the invoices."

He shuddered. "Maybe I should."

The sound of a fist connecting with flesh made me wince, and I hurried off the lawn, following the path to the front gates. Guilt gnawed at me, but I pushed it down. Fangley and Clawley knew the risks of disobeying orders. Why should I feel bad for not taking the fall?

They weren't my friends. If Alpha Ember were still alive, they'd still be my tormentors. Now, they were just a couple of annoying assholes who thought they had power over me.

My wolf grunted its agreement as we stepped off the lawn and onto the conifer-lined driveway. The scent of pine filled my nostrils, and I tilted my head toward the sky, watching the fluffy clouds.

I had the rest of the afternoon to apply for jobs, colleges, anything in the supernatural world that would get me out of Lunaris, the village inside Logris. My mother and I would start fresh, somewhere no one knew us, and we could live without constant persecution.

The wards shimmered over my skin as I passed through the gates and onto the road that bordered the alpha's compound, one of seven villages inside Logris.

A massive coach rolled toward me, its tires coated in dust, looking like it had traveled from far away.

It stopped, and the door hissed open.

"Excuse me?" The driver called, a handsome blond about my age, his scent distinctly wolf. "Are we close to Beowulf Zayden's place?"

I pointed behind me. "Just over there. Drive through the gates."

He frowned. "We're from the Norse Pack."

My heart skipped. The Norse were one of the largest, most powerful wolf packs. "Are you here for tonight's Wolf Moon Mixer?"

He flashed a sheepish grin. "We got here earlier than planned. Our coach can't get through the wards, and the nClawley they gave us was busy."

I frowned. Someone on Beowulf's team must have dropped the ball. "I have permission to get through the wards," I said. "Let me sit in the driver's seat and help you inside."

Relief washed over his face. "Thank you."

I jogged across the road and climbed aboard. Up close, the driver was even more handsome-clean-cut with a square jaw and perfectly straight nose. His bright aquamarine eyes sparkled like pools, and his sandy blond hair swept back to show off his strong features. He didn't look like someone who spent his days driving coaches.

"Welcome aboard," he greeted, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. He flashed me a dazzling smile.

My mouth went dry. Was he flirting? I gulped. When he found out I was lower than an omega, how quickly would that warmth turn to scorn?

"Um..." I pulled my gaze away from him and glanced inside the coach.

There were bunks on one side and rows of seats filled with young people, their hair in various shades of blond. This had to be the Norse pack.

"Will you be at the mixer tonight?" the driver asked.

"I wasn't invited."

He looked me over. "Are you already mated?"

I shook my head.

"Then you're coming as our guest," he said, grinning. "And I won't take no for an answer."

My heart skipped a beat.

Reason nClawley three why I was the shifter Cinderella? I'd just gotten invited to the ball.

***

It took me a few seconds to fully process the sight of so many Norse shifters packed into one space, followed by another few seconds for my breathing to slow down to something resembling normal. I turned to the tall Viking beside me, nodding eagerly.

"Thanks," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Going to the mixer as your guest would be great."

A booming voice came from behind us, cutting through the hum of the crowd.

"Wonderful."

I turned, and my eyes widened. The man who stood before us was the largest person I had ever seen-easily six-foot-five, even taller than Beowulf, and his build was massive, more like an ox than a wolf. He was shirtless, his muscles bulging in a way that made me feel tiny just standing near him. His strawberry-blond beard stretched down his chest in a thick braid, and his hair, slicked back from his face, looked like it might also be braided.

My throat dried. What in the world was he?

"Valko Gundahar, alpha of the Norse Lands," the massive man boomed, extending a hand that looked as though it could swallow mine whole. His palm was the size of a baseball glove. "And I see you've met my son, Dolph."

I blinked, my mind racing. I was standing in front of an alpha. A Norse alpha. My gaze shifted quickly to the young man who had just invited me to the Wolf Moon. Bloody hell, I'd just had a civil conversation with the son of an alpha. The moment anyone found out that I didn't even qualify to be an omega, they would flip.

I pushed those thoughts aside, forcing myself to focus as I placed my hand in Valko's and braced myself for the crushing grip that followed. He pumped my arm up and down like a rusty spigot.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, even as my throat felt dry. I stared into his twinkling blue eyes, swallowing hard.

Finally, Alpha Gundahar released my hand and swung his fist in the air.

"Advance to the Wolf Moon!"

The cheer that followed nearly deafened me. My ears rang from the noise, but I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. Beowulf would never travel with the younger members of his pack unless it was in a separate vehicle, surrounded by an entourage of enforcers and women who looked like they had stepped out of a harem. These Norse shifters seemed way more relaxed by comparison.

Dolph smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder, his voice smooth. "Shall we?"

I nodded, still a bit stunned, and followed him to the front of the coach, lowering myself into the extra-wide driver's seat.

As Dolph settled beside me, a flutter of butterflies stirred in my stomach, but I quickly shushed them. There was no need to overthink this. Dolph had just invited me to the mixer-it was probably just a simple thank you for helping them with the wards after their long journey from Scandinavia.

My wolf stirred, cracked open an eye, then went back to sleep. Dolph's presence didn't seem to register for her.

The engine roared to life, and the coach rumbled down the driveway, heading toward the gates of the alpha's compound.

"So, where exactly are you from?" I asked, trying to ease my nerves.

"We live in Denmark," Dolph replied with a broad grin. "Our pack includes Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, and Finland too."

I raised an eyebrow, impressed. "That's pretty impressive."

He shook his head, still smiling. "It's nothing compared to what you're doing over here in Great Britain. In our lands, each race pretty much keeps to themselves."

"But your father rules the other shifters?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Only wolves," Dolph answered, his pale blue eyes meeting mine with an intensity that sent a small shiver down my spine. "It's great that all the supernatural races work together here."

I offered him a weak smile. Logris seemed great from the outside, as did their village, Lunaris, but only Beowulf mixed with other races. Most of the others in our pack, unless they were enforcers, were confined to their village.

We passed through the gates, and suddenly a strange prickling sensation ran across my skin, as if thousands of tiny pins were pushing into my pores. The engine revved, the coach fighting to climb a steep hill. Dolph's nostrils flared, and he eased the vehicle to a stop.

"Your alpha certainly likes his wards," he remarked, his voice tight.

"Only wolf shifters from our pack are allowed through the gates," I explained with a grimace. "Everyone else has to be walked through the threshold."

Just then, the roar of four motorcycles reached us, with a fifth one trailing behind.

"A welcoming party?" Dolph raised an eyebrow, glancing at me.

The wards likely tipped off the enforcers that a group of outsiders was trying to gain access, I said with a casual shrug, keeping my tone light.

Alpha Gundahar threw his head back and roared with laughter. "They probably think we're holding you for ransom."

I cringed, my shoulders instinctively hitching up to my ears. These Norse wolves had no clue. No one cared about my safety-not even the other shifter breeds. I wasn't worth kidnapping.

"Let's give them a warm hello." Alpha Gundahar rose from his seat, his massive frame lClawleying past us toward the exit. He waved one gigantic hand, and the doors slid open with a hiss. Stepping into the driveway, he spread his arms wide, greeting the new arrivals.

The other shifters swarmed behind him, their energy palpable, bouncing on their heels with excitement.

The four riders at the front dismounted in sync, their leather uniforms marking them as enforcers, with automatic guns strapped across their backs.

"Security seems tight," Dolph muttered beside me.

I resisted the urge to sigh. Did they really need to look so paranoid? It wasn't like they weren't expecting foreign wolves. "Logris had a lot of trouble just after Yule," I explained. "With the rogue god."

Dolph rose from his seat and gestured for me to follow him outside. As we stepped into the cool air, I noticed Beowulf dismounting from the fifth motorbike. He cut through his enforcers, heading straight for Alpha Gundahar. Beowulf offered his hand, but Alpha Gundahar grinned and enveloped him in a bear hug.

Dolph chuckled beside me. "Father's such a goof. Come on, let's go say hello to your alpha."

A tight knot formed in my stomach. Part of me had been hoping I could slip away and savor the idea of being invited to the Wolf Moon. But now, it felt all too real. There was a chance I might actually go.

With reluctance, I followed Dolph through the crowd of shifters toward Beowulf and the enforcers, wrapping my arms around my middle. My wolf stirred, its attention focused, ears pricking as we approached.

"There she is!" Alpha Gundahar boomed, pointing a thick finger at me. "Why isn't this fine girl attending the Wolf Moon? Don't tell me you've reserved her for yourself."

Beowulf's eyes locked onto mine. "Ayla Garrison is a special case."

My stomach dropped, and I could feel my wolf's excitement bubbling up. He remembered my name? I quickly shoved the feeling down. It didn't mean anything. Fangley and Clawley had probably cursed me during their whipping sessions.

"Then you have no objections to Ayla coming as our guest?" Alpha Gundahar pressed, amusement lacing his voice.

Beowulf's expression hardened, his muscles tensing. His entire body screamed that he didn't want me at the Wolf Moon, yet he forced a smile-though it looked more like a baring of teeth.

"Ayla may attend this evening," Beowulf growled, each word dripping with warning.

Alpha Gundahar's laughter boomed again, filling the air. "Wonderful! If this generation's females are as sweet as Ayla , my boys will return to our lands satisfied."

Beowulf's gaze never left me, his eyes burning with a fury that was even hotter than when he'd found those cum-stained boxers. His stare was pure fire, and I knew-deep down-that I might be in trouble. There was no telling what he'd do next. I could already feel the familiar dread worming through me, slithering in my gut. Beowulf's anger was like a smothering weight, threatening to crush me.

But then, my wolf stood at attention, its head held high in response to the fury. My body stiffened, reacting to him as it always did. Only one man had ever complimented me on my looks, and it was the same man who now seemed intent on incinerating me with his gaze.

I quickly tore my eyes away from him, my wolf whining in protest, but I couldn't stand it. The sooner I left this place, the better it would be for both of us.

Turning to Dolph, I forced a smile, one that felt like a thin mask. "It was really nice meeting you."

"Will I see you tonight?" he asked, his smile dazzling as it caught the light.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to say no. No, because my wolf didn't respond to him the way it did to Beowulf. No, because I had other plans. No, because Beowulf clearly didn't want me there.

"She will be there," Beowulf growled, his voice cold and final.

My heart skipped a beat, and I hated myself for even considering it.