Chapter 1 The Cardinals

• “Fuckkk…” the cold water that was doused across my face woke me from my lucid nightmare instantly.
• Today is the day of the Treaty. The Alpha would announce who would be the Nonarch.
• I sprinted off the flat mattress and clutched my stomach in pain. Opening my eyes, I saw my stepsister Kim, glaring at me, her whole squad of servants and friends laughing at my pain.
• I'm used to this. But each time she finds a new technique to torture me and it makes me wonder if she is a wolf or an evil witch.
• I am the Alpha's first daughter, but just a slave in the pack. Ever since I was four, my father has made it his sole aim to pretend that I don't exist and since he couldn't openly kill me, he has made sure my existence is hell.
• Because history did say that my mother cheated on my father and tried to sell the pack to the rogues.
• “Why the fuck are you lazing around? The Treaty starts in two hours and we have guests already coming in.” She handed the whip in her hand to her right hand servant and pointed at me. “Get your fucking smelly ass in the kitchen and help!”
• Her screams don't scare me but I have developed the habit of pretending it does to soothe her ego. “Yes, your highness.”
• “Also make sure you press my dress. And if you dare make a mess of it, I will wring your neck faster than you can blink. And we both know father doesn't give a rat's ass about your life.”
• “Understood your highness.”
• She wiped her hands with some napkins before walking out of the basement, leaving me with nothing but total remorse for my entire family.
• Without wasting time, I rushed to Kim's dressing room and found the dress hanging in the wardrobe. Quickly working around it, I finished up and returned to the kitchen.
• "Hey, guess who will be chosen as the nonarch?"
• "I have no idea. I hope the moon goddess will bless him."
• When I arrived at the kitchen door, two maids with gold plates hurried past me.
• The Treaty is the most vital event in Sternola. It’s held every March.
• Sternola is divided into four cardinals. The North is for the Lycans, the South for Wolves, the West for the Rogues, and the East for the witches and priestesses.
• Four hundred years ago, these four cardinals had a protracted war. Fortunately, the Moon Goddess led the signing of a truce and the creation of a treaty.
• Therefore, to this day, Sternola still maintains the tradition of holding the treaty celebration to consolidate peace.
• With one cardinal hosting the ceremony and another cardinal choosing an entity to serve as a truce vessel. The person who acts as the vessel is called the Non–Monarch or Nonarch for short. And the arrangement was rotated yearly so that every cardinal, every pack, has the opportunity.
• This year, the treaty hosting fell to the lycans but the nonarch is to be chosen from the wolves which is my cardinal.
• The Faye's pack were supposed to host this event. But due to a sudden contagious plague, the hosting right ended up in the hands of my father, Alpha of the Willows Pack.
• This meant that the Nonarch will be chosen by my father.
• Thinking of this, I couldn't help but shrink my neck.
• After all, the tragedy of the brutal murder of Nonarchs had been happening for several years in a row.
• In fact, the times have changed and Sternola has long become corrupted compared to four hundred years ago when the treaty came to place. The celebration is nothing but a congregation of lies. A way for each cardinal to attack each other and murder the nonarch for show of power while pretending like we are still united according to the alliance of truce.
• “Stop chopping the veggies and go check on the snacks in the oven!” A maid's stern voice interrupted my thoughts.
• I worked on the snacks, enduring the burning heat that came from the huge inbuilt oven.
• “Fiona, go help with moving the food. I will get the snacks.” Aunt Maya hurried me up with a stern look as she sneaked some snacks into the pouch of my ugly dress.
• She may act mean, but she loves me. She is the only person who sang me lullabies and treated me like I really matter.
• ‘Stop whining. You have been trash for over sixteen years, don't act like it matters now.’
• I am sorry did I forget to mention that my wolf, Fayla, is a huge ass bitch who because of my current inability to shift—a secret I guard with my life—since I was thirteen can go to sleep for days. Sometimes weeks.
• Later, a maid stormed into the kitchen and informed me. “The Alpha needs your attention in the main hall this instant.” She left as soon as she spoke while I stood there, confused and scared.
• He rarely summoned me, especially on such an important day. I had a faint bad feeling in my heart, but I could only forcibly ignore it.
• I took the fastest route to the main hall to avoid another punishment from my father and didn't ease my steps until I reached the stairs and paused to catch some air.
• Whatever it is my father wants, I hoped it would be to finally give me my independence to live outside the pack.
• As I was catching my breath, I noticed the fleet of cars that gently drove into the packing area some distance away. I stopped to look, spectacular lovely Maybachs catching my eyes.
• The shiny and lush exterior of it spoke wealth. As if it was choreographed, three men stepped out of the cars, their suits neatly pressed with not a squeeze or fold visible from where I stood.
• Maybe they knew someone was looking, but they all raised their heads, colored gazes falling on me, sweeping my stomach into a whirlwind of furious butterflies. I recognised these men. They are the monarchy rulers of Sternola.
• The first man being the Rogue King while the last cold looking figure is the Lycan King.
• The second man is my King. Alpha Elijah Darlington of Alyan pack. The perfect description of a gentleman and the youngest of all the kings being thirty with a reputation so clean it makes the other shifters concoct rumours about him. Alpha Elijah’s most attentive feature is the slightly huge jarred birthmark on his cheek. The stark lovely brown against his rich skin. Standing at 6 '3, his height was the same as the Rogue king.
• I am honest when I say he is every woman's dream. The first words anyone uses to describe him are; prim, proper, and the perfect gentleman. He is the epitome of kindness. A lovely innocent face amidst the chaos of kings.
• Yet… unaccounted for wolf plagues hit the other cardinals. He never admits to it but we all know our king isn't the absolute saint he appears to be.
• But we adore him. He has brought immeasurable improvement to the south in his eleven years of being on the throne.
• My gaze continued to move from one king to the other, absolutely fascinated by the sight of their beauty. They look like they stepped out of a fashion cover. A popular rogue influencer once said the only good thing about corrupted Sternola is that our kings are hot and young and I couldn't agree more.
• The distance between us was wide, yet I could feel how dangerous their aura was especially when they moved closer as if wanting to get a closer look at me. I realised how rude it was to have stared for so long. These weren't just any men, they are rulers of the country.
• I quickly continued up the stairs, almost tripping in the process, my armpits itchy and my whole body on fire. The rumors aren't false, they are handsome but dangerous looking monsters.
• The deadly enemy kings who are rumoured to be making an attempt on each other's lives so as to merge the other shifter cardinals because there are rumours that Sternola might go back to totalitarian ruling. A concept that defeats the entire purpose of the treaty but like I said, the country is as corrupt as it can be.
• The truce is nothing but a facade of adept lies and ugly activities.
• “My God look at the state of her. Did you poo yourself?” My stepmother, the Luna , was all dressed and shiny. She stepped back immediately as if she was afraid she would contact whatever germs I had.
• My father looked slightly panicked even though Kim and Mark were hiding the beam in their smiles.
• “You think we shouldn't?” He asked her.
• “What?!” She glared at him and moved closer, muttering something I couldn't hear. “Of course we should!”
• My father walked to me stopping at least three steps away before wearing his usual Alpha authoritative look.
• “Are you aware of the basic requirements for a treaty?” I nodded my head but he kept talking. “A representative called the non-monarch from a cardinal is sent to live in the Neutral Palace for a month. This time, the responsibility of picking has fallen on me for hosting the celebration on my ground.”
• I know this information as it is basic knowledge but I kept quiet not wanting to risk the usual starvation punishment of four days.
• “The Zen Alpha has reached out to us for a representative.” My gaze moved to his at this moment, our similar amber eyes an insult to what I have been through. “And I have picked you. After all, you are my daughter.”
• They are sending me to my death.