Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Chapter 43: Running With The Wolves

I stared up at the French pack house, Tanière du Loup, and its grandness. It was almost as large as the Capitol Coven, but the grounds outside the wolf palace were far more expansive than the gardens outside our international coven house. The exterior of the chateau was made of white and grey stone with marble columns and arched windows, styled after late seventeenth century Baroque architecture. Ivy grew up the sides in places, speckled with moonflowers, and the sloping dark roofline held more windows peeking out from attic space and the top floor.

Now I know why he's been spending so much time here, I thought, slowly opening the car door to step onto the cobblestone driveway. My driver came around to hold it open for me, and I smiled in thanks and pulled my leather jacket closer to my body to stifle my own anxiety.

Part of me had considered going home after receiving the letter. The person who had called themselves a Purist thought it would be enough to deter me. And it nearly had been. But one message to Maria had been enough to convince me I still had to make an appearance. She had begged me to keep my flight to France during my trip and promised she'd send one of their staff to pick me up at the airport. And, as much as I had wanted to, I couldn't say no to her.

Jason's coronation was a huge ordeal, one that would host plenty of security measures. Maria had promised that she would be certain to have special accommodations prepared just in case this "Purist" was an actual credible threat. The festivities were set to last for three nights in correlation to the full moon, inviting over two hundred people to flock to the French chateau and witness the passing of the Alphahood from Vraal to Jason. Maria had gone on and on about how they would keep their eyes open for anyone in attendance that could threaten my family, Jason, or me. Despite agreeing to come, I worried that it might not be enough.

We didn't know who my secret penpal was, or how many others followed in their vision of what a half-blood could and could not be. The feeling of being watched and followed still hung in the back of my mind, like a tickle on the back of my neck that something was coming...

I sighed heavily and headed for the line to check in. 

There was a stir in the connection that tied me to Jason, and an overwhelming rush of emotion washed over me. As two doormen moved to carry my bags inside with the rest of the luggage from other arrivals, I glanced around at the guests waiting to sign in. It felt like being in a five-star hotel, reminiscent of Versailles. When the sensation of Jason's thoughts pulled at me again, I relaxed my mental walls so it wouldn't jar me. His influence washed over me in a strong wave of relief, and I had to stifle the urge to gasp. I inhaled slowly and moved forward.

I ascended the terrace stairs and followed the sounds of the crowd into the huge grand foyer, my eyes taking in the gorgeous interior. I was surrounded by wolves, all jurisdiction alphas who acted like pack leaders under the dominance of the king and queen alpha's reign. Everyone seemed excited, the buzz of the moon high radiating off of their bodies. I noticed a few glances and double-takes as some began to wonder who I was. I didn't want to know the gossip that had gone around about the master alpha's affair with the half-blood.

Trying to distract myself, I began to look for my aunt and uncle or my cousins, anyone with some familiarity. A man in a tuxedo came forward to take my jacket, and I shook my head in a no-thank-you. I took another chance to look around the large grand foyer with its high ceilings and marble sculptures. Men in grey suits were positioned around the room and entrances to the larger rooms that flanked either side of the foyer. After one quick assessment, I guessed they were security guards despite none of them looked familiar like the guards at Meadowlark. My eyes then strayed to the pack alphas, ranging in diversity and language. Conversations filled the space like a constant hum. I watched as people in expensive clothing moved from one end to the other, greeting each other with hugs and handshakes. It was a high contrast to the decorum and stilted traditions of the Capitol Coven where commanders composed themselves with military precision and minimal physical contact.