BLACK

(11) Control

EDITED

-Oren-

Boone was late getting into the car, making me antsy. We needed to be there on time. I couldn't miss this, not as my first ceremony as a new Alpha. Especially not when my treaty is with Alpha Kostas.

"I'm sorry," Boone apologized for the millionth time.

"Shut up," I snapped as we walked up the steps.

We nodded heads with the door man, stalking into the lobby. It was empty, our steps sure to draw attention into the court room.

"Time?"

"A minute before nine," Boone replies.

I shove open the doors, letting them slam shut behind him and I. Eyes from every direction turn to face us, but I don't gaze back. I stride to the right side of the room, sitting in the plush chairs next to Boone. I dare look back at the rest of the Alphas, Lunas too. I knew it was important to exceed confidence. If I showed power here, hopefully more treaties would arise in the near future.

"Nice of you to join us," The judge says as he walks past me in the aisle, just loud enough to catch my ears. He continues to the center of the room regardless, taking the middle seat between the two lawyers required for witness signatures. "We've got a long night ahead of us, so I won't bother wasting anymore time. First case, Carvalho and St Pierre, take your stances."

The two summoned Alphas rise, moving to opposite sides of the room and standing before their podiums. They run through the list of agreements to let the others in the room know, and then the call upon private objections and public objections. My leg twitches as it takes thirty minutes just to move onto the second case. I press my fingers to my temple, leaning against the arm rest. Something was off, something bigger than just Boone's tardiness. What could go wrong in a room full of Alphas? My gut was twisting. An ambush? Abuse of power? I just wanted to sign my treaty and get out of here.

"Cut it out," Boone knocks my bouncing knee discreetly.

"I can't help it," I whisper. "He's getting restless."

Boone opens his mouth, but is cut off by the judge. "Alpha Kostas and, oh . . . new in power, our youngest Alpha yet."

He gives me the bitter look I dare challenge back, rising to my full height and stalking down to the center of the room. I don't look at Aris until we both stand over the lawyers desk, pens in hand. He looks as he came. The markings over his face had always been the same in the media, the same purple gnashes that had haunted him for as long as I could recall. The left side of his face wasn't sore to look at, but the right was full of long healed silver burns and obvious head trauma. Alpha Kostas was not a man to be messed with. If he mentioned war, he would win.

I hadn't expected so much teasing on my first ceremony, but all the attention only drove me to prove my strength. I was the newest, youngest Alpha. I was going to be the strongest, youngest Alpha. Everybody would want me. Everybody would need me.

I scribble my well practiced signature onto my own copy of the treaty, inhaling slowly. My head came to an ache, bones itching to grow and shift into an animal of the forest. My nose twitches, fighting the shifter. I glance to Aris, then looking around the area he was sitting in for the wide, fearful eyes that belonged to him.

"Your mate has . . . such, a peculiar scent." I hadn't meant the words to come out so taunting, but they had.

"That, she does." He agrees calmly, swiftly printing his own name on the paper. I inhale again, tasting the sweet mix of raspberries and vanilla. "The fragrance is her favourite."