Would you give up everything to keep a promise you made to the people you love?
That was a question Dahlia was asking herself but at that moment she didn't have the luxury of a choice, her fate was already set in stone.
Dahlia held her head high and oozed confidence as she walked through the narrow dimly lit hallway. Men and women in red cloaks were lined up on each side of the wall and they all had one look on their faces, a look she was familiar with throughout the years, a look of pity.
They all knew the moment she stepped through the large wooden door ahead, that her life as she knew it would be over, and they all wished she would beat fate and escape from the hell that awaited her.
Dahlia on the other hand wasn't bothered, she had made the decision a long time ago, and backing down was not an option she considered. She simply wasn't a quitter or someone who went back on her words.
She took a deep breath before swinging open the large doors that led to the forest where the ceremony was taking place.
She was prepared for this, prepared to lose everything.
The sky was dark, lonely, and cloudless, and a thick fog filled the woods making it barely visible to see aside from the few wooden torches that lit the path for her.
Her long white silk gown caressed the ground beneath her as she walked down the runway of leaves barefooted. The cold breeze danced and tingled on her bare skin as the wind swayed her long dark hair from side to side in a rhythmic manner.
Within no time, Dahlia was at the end of the lit pathway, and ahead of her was her younger brother and soon to be alpha, the pack councilmen, and a few other wolves.
The moment she steeled her mind for the last five years had finally arrived. It was time to pass on her birthright to her younger brother.
In the pack, if a girl is born as the firstborn into the royal family, it was customary for the next son to be chosen as the alpha on his eighteenth birthday, the girl would have to pass on her birthright.
"Are you ready, Princess Dahlia?" The head councilman asked.
"I am," Dahlia replied without a hint of hesitation in her tone.
Dahlia took one last look at her brother, he stared at her with pure hatred in his eyes, a look she was no stranger to. She had always hoped he would soften up and return her love for him but even at a young age, Draco was blinded by power and viewed Dahlia as a threat to his future so hatred was the only thing he felt for her.
Breaking the uncomfortable eye contact, she walked up to the pillar and picked up the knife that was placed on a red silk cloth. One of the pack's most precious possessions.
Dahlia turned back to face her brother and held up her wrist above a wooden bowl before making a slight cut, letting her blood drip into the bowl.
Despite the pain she was in, Dahlia showed no signs of weakness, her face was as hard and emotionless as usual and that alone infuriated her brother.
Once enough blood was in the bowl, the councilman dipped his hand in it and made two lines down Draco's eyes, it was a way of transferring the birthright from a daughter to a son.
After the blood ritual was done, Draco turned into his wolf form and howled at the full moon above them. Everyone present dropped to their knees and bowed to the new alpha including Dahlia who had just given her brother the right to her life.
The kingdom had gained an Alpha but she had lost her brother.
"All hail King Draco!" They all shouted and cheered for the birth of a new king but deep down, at the darkest corners of everyone's minds, they all feared for what their lives would become under the rule of Draco.
The celebrations went on until the sun rose from its sleep, marking the beginning of a new day and a new rule for the Kayer pack.
"Bow to your alpha," Draco commanded.
Dahlia cursed under her breath for the unreasonable acts of her brother. He went all the way to her room just to rub his new title in her face, something he had been waiting for since she could remember.
Not wanting to intensify her already terrible situation, Dahlia did as she was told and bowed before her younger brother, much to his excitement.
Although her head was lowered, Dahlia could tell there was a proud smirk lying comfortably on Draco's face. He loved to be in control and have everyone under him but nothing was more satisfying to him than seeing her at his mercy.
"Rise." He commanded in the same harsh tone.
Dahlia stood up and made sure not to make eye contact with Draco so as not to hurt his fragile ego and cause him to flare up. Her days were already numbered and she couldn't take the risk of making things worse than they already were.
"How does it feel to know I'm in control and not you?" Draco asked, trying to put Dahlia under more pressure so she would slip up.
"As the King and Alpha, it is only right that you are in control, my King." Dahlia gave him a response that stroked his pride while making sure not to directly answer his question and unsurprisingly, it worked, Draco was satisfied with her answer.
"Good." He foolishly smirked, "From now on until I say so, you are not allowed to leave your chambers no matter the circumstances. I'll deal with you once the time is right, sister." His tone was calm but the sarcasm in calling her sister and the silent threat he sent her way didn't go unnoticed by Dahlia.
Dahlia understood exactly what he was saying but as usual, she didn't leak out any expressions, "Of course, my King." She calmly replied.
Draco scoffed and made sure to pass her a final look of disgust before walking out of the room, acting like the world was in the palm of his hands.
Once left alone, Dahlia slumped onto the bed and rested her head on her hands, finally letting herself let out some of the emotional stress she was going through. She sacrificed herself for her family and in the end was betrayed by her family.
It wasn't hard for Dahlia to guess that what Draco meant by dealing with her was either selling her off as a slave or in the worst-case scenario, marrying her off to a random lone wolf whose mate was already dead.
She would rather be a slave than lose her only chance at finding her mate, no matter how hopeless it might seems.