Bound by the Moon

Chapter 6

The sun had barely risen, casting a pale golden light across the packhouse, but already the tension in the air was palpable. Today was the day of the Bloodmoon Pack's formal arrival, and every inch of the estate buzzed with anxious energy. Astrid had been up since before dawn, her mind occupied with thoughts of yesterday's encounter with Alpha Lucian. His icy gaze and piercing questions lingered in her mind, casting a shadow over her morning preparations.

The kitchen was bustling with activity as she entered, the scent of freshly baked bread and simmering stew filling the air. Servants rushed to and fro, their faces taut with the same nervous energy that pulsed throughout the packhouse. Astrid quickly got to work, helping to arrange platters of food, refill drink pitchers, and ensure that everything was in perfect order for the arriving guests.

Her hands moved with a practiced precision, but her mind was elsewhere. Alpha Lucian's words from the previous day echoed in her thoughts. Why are you treated this way? The question had caught her off guard, and though she'd given an answer, it hadn't felt like the whole truth. There were so many layers to the dynamic in her pack, and her role as the Alpha's sister was far more complicated than she could easily explain.

She was grateful when one of the other staff members, a woman named Clara, approached her with a tray of fresh fruit to be placed on the grand dining table. "Here," Clara said, her voice soft yet strained with the same anxiety everyone seemed to be feeling, "can you take this to the hall?"

Astrid nodded silently, taking the tray and making her way through the maze of corridors to the grand hall where the Bloodmoon Pack would soon be welcomed. The hall had been transformed for the occasion. The long, polished wooden table was set with fine china, gleaming silverware, and an array of food that was more lavish than anything Astrid had seen in months. The chandeliers above glimmered with candlelight, casting a soft glow over the room, and the air was thick with the scent of roasted meats and spiced wine.

As she placed the fruit on the table, her mind wandered back to the pack's precarious situation. The negotiations that were set to take place today had far-reaching implications. For years, their pack had remained relatively isolated, maintaining peace with their neighbors through careful diplomacy rather than force. They had no enemies, no rivalries that warranted the kind of brute strength that Alpha Lucian's pack represented.

And yet, here they were, on the verge of forging an alliance with one of the most feared and powerful packs in the region.

Astrid wiped her hands on her apron, her thoughts racing. Why did they need a ruthless Alpha like Lucian? It was a question she couldn't shake. They had never been attacked, and they had never attacked anyone. What was her brother hoping to gain by aligning with someone like him?

Before she could ponder the matter further, the door to the hall creaked open, and a familiar voice cut through the air. "Astrid!"

She turned to see Beta Marcus, her brother's second-in-command, striding toward her with his usual air of self-importance. His tall frame loomed over her, and his dark eyes narrowed with displeasure. She could feel his gaze lingering on her as though she were an inconvenience.

"Where have you been?" he barked. "The Alpha needs everything ready, and here you are, daydreaming like some useless wolf."

Astrid stiffened but said nothing. She had learned long ago that speaking back only invited more trouble. Instead, she turned her focus to adjusting the cutlery on the table, hoping Marcus would move on and leave her be.

But he didn't. He came closer, his voice lowering to a threatening whisper. "You'd think the Alpha's sister would know better than to question why we need this alliance."