Claire followed Matt down and around the hall until they got to a meeting room. A beautiful, dark wooden table sat in the center, with a detailed, three-dimensional map of the area in the center. The people at dinner, as well as a handful Claire did not recognize, all stared at her expectantly. She chose instead to focus on the physical features of the map, letting her eyes trail over the ridges and down the gorge to follow the river.
"Please, take a seat," an older woman finally said, gesturing to the only unoccupied chair.
Claire politely thanked her and sat down. All the pairs of eyes on her felt like a million ants, crawling all over her body, trying to eat her while she still breathed. She remembered all the med students who would enter her room, fascinated. Oncologists from all over the world. Everyone stared at her without any intent to listen to a word she wanted to say.
"Miss Green," Peter said with his saccharine smile. "Do you know why we wanted to meet with you?"
Claire nodded, trying to stay strong. Colin would want her to hold her head high, to not show how scared she was of them. "I am a vampire on your lands, and I intend to be here for the foreseeable future."
Peter nodded, not trying to hide his delight. "Have you enjoyed your stay so far?"
Poised and composed, Claire looked straight into his eyes as replied, "I cannot make any claims until I see how this goes."
Alpha Riann snorted from his position at the head. Claire shot a look at him, but he did not accept it the way Peter did. He let the full strength of his power roll off him in waves. It sent the gaze of every wolf in the room to the ground. A few stuck dropped their shoulders, sticking their necks out in raw submission. Claire felt the power hit her, and the mate bond desired her obedience; for her sake or Colin's, she couldn't tell. Instead, Claire nodded politely at him and watched the anger burn in his beautiful eyes.
Claire returned her gaze to Alpha Peter and said, "As you can imagine, Alpha, I have had a long few days and would greatly appreciate a rest. I would not mind skipping pleasantries if it would not offend you."
Alpha Peter nodded, expertly hiding his glee. Her plan to subtly disrespect him only meant that there was less time for The Alpha King to uncover his own plot. That witch was right; her stubbornness was going to help them both greatly.
"Of course. After all, you are a member of my pack now." Claire narrowed her eyes. "I know that you are somewhat familiar with the laws of wolves. We will require certain guarantees of your loyalty."
"As of right now, my only loyalty is to my mate. He is the only one who hasn't tried to manipulate me," she spat, regretting her words the instant they came out of her mouth. Hastily, she added, "Alpha."
Peter was not troubled by her words, although he felt those around him spike with rage. "I hope that we can change that, Miss Green." He picked up a crystal glass filled with an amber liquid and offered it to her; she smelt nothing unusual, so she accepted it. "To the Half-Moon Pack."
Everyone raised their glasses, including the Alpha King. More food, small pieces of meat, was brought out. Claire looked around, confused as everyone took a piece. She did as well, though she did not eat it despite the burning hunger still within her. Her eyes had lightened, but not all the way.
"Did Colin not tell you of our traditions?" Alpha Peter asked, a mocking tone underpinning his faux concern; he knew that Colin did not have the chance to.
"We were interrupted," she replied curtly, glancing at Chris, who offered a smug grin and a wink.
"Well, in the wild, eating and drinking in front of someone is a sign of trust. When welcoming someone into a pack, before any ceremony, we eat and drink with the Pack Leaders."
Claire looked around in distrust. Had she not just eaten a meal with many of the people here? Had Peter not mocked her enough there, that he felt the need to extend his humiliation?
"Do you wish to reject this pack's trust in you?" Alpha Riann finally spoke, and he made no attempt to hide the threat behind his words.
"I am just confused as to why this is happening, Alpha. I just ate dinner with many of you here. And then I was pulled away from Colin only to eat more?" She made eye contact with the older woman, the one who had kindly invited her to sit down. "I have had a rather confusing week. I hope that you can excuse any extreme caution I have at the moment, Alphas."
The older woman nodded in understanding. She stood up, and the eyes of the entire room turned to her. She was important. "This can be postponed. She is not a rogue seeking asylum, nor is she the witch-mate." Peter's lip twitched. "We can treat this as we would a human mate coming to the pack and give her time to adjust."
"She is not a human mate!" Luna Mary snapped, finally speaking. "She is a bloodsucker, and I will not have her running around my people without some guarantee of their safety!"
The woman nodded calmly, taking control of the situation immediately with her composure. "Then assign warriors to guard her."
"Would my eating and drinking with you actually ease your anxieties, Luna Mary?" Claire asked respectfully. "Your concern is not unreasonable. I am a dangerous stranger. And while I doubt that my words mean much to you, I have no intention of hurting anyone. I can swear to it in any means that would offer comfort."
It took all the self-control Peter possessed to not cheer. The only flaw in the moment was the presence of others. But that kink in his plan could be sorted easily with time. He looked towards Alpha Riann, who seemed satisfied.
'If the girl had posed any real threat, she would not be reacting to my power as she did now,' he reasoned to himself. 'Though it would be best if she were to stay on my lands; in the hands of the witches, her stubbornness would surely backfire on her.'
"If the vampiress wishes to continue her stay as a guest, that is fine," the Alpha King said. With that, he stood and left, bidding a courteous farewell to the Pack Leaders and ignoring Claire completely.
'I expect regular updates on this situation,' he mindlinked Alpha Peter and Luna Mary, who both nodded.
Claire stared at the remaining wolves, the Pack Leaders of the Half-Moon Pack. Some looked at her with a vague sense of disgust, while a few seemed curious, and two looked apathetic. She stood up again. "If all is as resolved as it can be, I will take my leave." She turned to face Peter and Mary, nodding politely. "Thank you for your warm welcome and delicious food."
She left the room, completely unsure where to go. She followed the stale scent of Colin, surprised by how desperately she wanted to hold him.
The moment she left the room, Peter offered a smug smile to his Pack Leaders. The older woman looked at him with disapproving eyes. "Is there something that you are not telling us, Alpha Peter?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
"Just because you are this pack's witch does not mean that you can disrespect my authority the moment one of your own join, Aloisa," he warned.
The old woman scoffed and looked at her peers. "You said that you wanted us to meet the vampiress, and yet you barely had her stay. Why is that?"
Peter took a menacing step towards her. His own uncle stood up on old, shaky legs, placing himself between his mate and Alpha. He was clearly mindlinking his mate, but Peter did not care.
"I am curious as to why you are trusting this vampiress so easily," Aloisa finally said, although her tone was slightly irritated.
The rest of the Pack Leaders looked to their Alpha for an answer. Luna Mary especially. Peter replied almost too quickly, "Because she has no reason to betray us. She feels the mate bond, her sire lied to her, and the witches," he allowed his final words to hang in the air, taunting Aloisa. He could not wait to get rid of her. "The witches ruined her life."
"And what of our people's safety?" another Elder, a former Delta, said from his wheelchair.
"She will be guarded until she has proven herself, as our King suggested."
That was the end of the discussion. The Elders could influence many workings of the Pack, but in the end, it fell to the Alpha. And Peter wanted Claire here. They all slowly piled out of the room.
"Well?" Peter snapped at his son the moment everyone else had left the room.
Matt nodded and replied, "It worked just as you said it would, sir."