Tori had spent many evenings wondering what it would be like to be in the throne room of a medieval castle. Many books had taken her into the presence of kings and queens of majestic countries. She had always imagined they would be bright and open, full of gold and riches. Armed guards protecting the royalty who sat before her. She imagined she would kneel before the royal family, a hero of the country prepared to be rewarded for her efforts. She imagined herself in gilded armor, or the finest of silks as she stood in the presence of the most powerful beings in the country.
This was nothing of the sort.
Tori, Maddie, and Layla were led barefoot along the long stretch of the cold stone floor with Theo and Alistair at their flank. Layla hugged herself for warmth. Maddie walked with her shoulders slumped, jumping at the slightest sound. Tori stood in the center of the three, her chest puffed out and her jaw set. Her eyes were trained on the singular high-backed throne at the end of the room. Backed by an impressive stained-glass mural that appeared resembled more a Picasso painting than a royal relief. The window was the only decoration in the dimly lit room. There were no guards in the room, somehow making it feel lonelier.
Sitting in the throne was a woman Tori could only assume was the Den Mother. She sat in an evening gown of deep violet. Her blonde hair draped down past her shoulders. Her heart-shaped face was set in a soft, welcoming smile. She sat with her back straight, her arms resting at her sides and her legs crossed tightly. As the group approached, her wide eyes narrowed slightly, and looked between the three girls before her.
The Den Mother looked past them, to their left, and tilted her head inquisitively. "Theo, would you care to explain?"
"Your Grace," Theo said. He walked around the girls and into Tori's vision. He walked slowly, calculating, his arms behind his back. "I have for you, our newest recruits."
The Den Mother chuckled and shook her head. "So close to the moon rising?"
"I'm afraid this was my doing," Theo admitted. "A group of our recruits was getting restless. I took them for some leave and lost track of them."
The Den Mother was quiet for a long moment, looking at Theo with narrow eyes. Then she suddenly shifted her gaze to the trio standing before her. Her expression lightened again. "I apologize for my manners. I am the Den Mother here of this pack. What are your names?"
Tori drew in a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Tori," she said resolutely, "and this is–"
"Can they not speak for themselves?" The Den Mother cut her off. Tori dropped her arm she had instinctively used to gesture toward Layla. She set her jaw again. The Den Mother cocked her head slightly. "There's a fire in you, Tori. I assume it is short for Victoria?"
Tori nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"A royal name, why do you shorten it?" The Den Mother asked.
Tori shrugged. "It's what my mother always called me."
The Den Mother finally stood. She moved with an uncomfortable grace as she stepped down from her throne. She barely made a sound with each step she took. It was almost as if she was gliding, rather than walking. It was not until she was mere feet away from her that Tori felt her presence of her. The Den Mother was at least a foot taller than her. She had an air about her as she approached that made Tori want to run, but the prevailing feeling to her was one of warmth and comfort. She finally understood why she was called the Den Mother, other than a mere title.
"What do you want, Victoria?" The Den Mother asked walking circles around her.
Tori swallowed hard. "To go home, Ma'am."
The Den Mother nodded. "Simple, but you must have long-term goals. Someone with such potential for leadership. Such a drive to protect your fellows. What are they?"
Tori looked at the Den Mother, giving her a confused look. "I wanted to be a lawyer."
"Wanted?" The Den Mother pointed out her choice of words.
Tori barred her teeth. "I can't exactly be a lawyer like this?"
The Den Mother paused in front of Tori. She gave the younger girl a smile. "Like this? You mean as a wolf among my pack?"
"Obviously."
"I see a strong young woman," The Den Mother proclaimed. "A woman who is not afraid to stand up to me in defense of her friends. Those who are not confident in themselves speak for themselves. I can see how these simple traits can be useful in a courtroom. Why can you not be a lawyer in your near future?"
Tori scoffed. "I wouldn't want to become a wolf in the courtroom."
"I can teach you to control that urge," The Den Mother said. "But I see, you only see yourself as the wolf now."
"That is not who I am," Tori argued.
The Den Mother looked her up and down. "Precisely. That's the attitude I was hoping you would show. And that is exactly what I want to show the world."
Tori frowned. "What do you mean?"
The Den Mother started walking back toward her throne. "I want the world, the naïve world in which we live in, we hide from, to see us for what we truly are. The same people we were before this disease infected us. I want us to stand among the rest as people, not as the monsters we hide."
"People have been trying to do that for years," Tori said. "As regular people, there are those that the rest of humanity cannot accept. What makes you different?"
The Den Mother laughed. "Well, you see, with talented young people such as yourself, we can start with the bigoted town from which you hail, and we will make them see our way. By force, if necessary. Then, my dear, you will be free to pursue your dream of the courtroom."
Tori's words caught in her throat. She thought about the many innocent people down in Salem who would get caught in the blood path the Den Mother planned on having. "You're building an army to invade Salem."
"If necessary, yes," The Den Mother said. "Then the rest of the country if we must. But Salem must fall if we are to rise. And you, my dear, are part of the cause now. After all, you do want to stand for justice. That is all I want. Justice. For those of our kind that have fallen for this cause."
The Den Mother's jaw was set in a tight scowl, her eyes didn't look at Tori or anyone else in the room. It was as if she was staring at a ghost somewhere else in the room. Tori didn't want to disrupt her thoughts, set in her own for a short while. She stared at the Den Mother for some time, thinking on her words, her cause. Tori thought about the girls beside her. Alistair had been kind and welcoming. Theo, who had broken the news to her. The wolf she had seen down in the pits mere hours ago.
"Teach me," Tori said. "Teach us."
The Den Mother looked as if she had forgotten Tori was there. She gave her a surprised look. Tori almost cracked a smile knowing that she had put the menacing Den Mother on the back foot.
"Teach me how to control this…power. This Monster. Teach how not to hide."
The Den Mother smiled, probably the first genuine smile Tori had seen from the woman since she walked into the room. And she was sure it was going to be the last.