The Crown's Conquest

Chapter 1

"Captain Grace," a voice interrupted her from the doorway.

Keira looked up from the box she was packing up and saw Antoine standing there still dressed in his dress blues. She had thought everyone from the Task Force had gone home after the funeral. Leave it to Antoine to be work-oriented.

"What is it, Antoine?" she asked, putting some books into the box.

"A messenger from the Steelcrown pack has just arrived," Antoine replied, glancing behind him. "He's waiting in the lobby."

Keira was surprised that the King of the Werewolfs would send a messenger from his pack to speak to her. Or even send a messenger to the headquarters of the Task Force for that matter. Normally everyone just called or submitted requests via the internet when werewolf packs needed security. Keira was extremely interested in what the messenger had to say.

'I can only imagine that this must be very important,' Sabelina, her wolf commented. 'I highly doubt it's for giving his condolences.'

Keira thanked him and went downstairs to meet with the messenger.

"Can I help you?" Keira asked as she walked down the staircase and walked up to the messenger.

"I'm looking for a Captain Grace," the messenger replied giving her a once over like he was expecting someone else.

"You're speaking to her," Keira said crossing her arms over her chest.

The messenger cleared his throat and stood up straighter, "I'm sorry. I was expecting-"

"My grandfather retired 10 years ago," Keira clarified. "If there isn't anything else, you know the way out."

"Captain," the messenger said, regaining his composure. "I have a message from the King."

"I didn't mean to offend," the messenger continued when Keira didn't say anything.

"What's the message?" she finally asked, not liking this messenger. She definitely preferred them to call.

"The King has invited the Task Force to attend the annual Alpha meeting."

"As security?" Keira asked confused since they never got invited to attend anything as guests.

"Guests," the messenger replied. "The King is aware of the current situation in regards to the death of the former Captain Nico of the Task Force. This will allow other packs to assess the situation with the King and decide the future of the Task Force."

Keira faked a smile and accepted the invitation before thanking the messenger as he departed. She should have known. With the death of the former captain, many of the other packs had stopped asking the Task Force to pull security for them. Keira assumed it was because the captain hadn't been buried yet until today but now it was clear. They didn't trust the current Task Force to protect them any longer. They might even be thinking that the Task Force was no longer necessary.

Keira crumpled the invitation in her hands before heading back upstairs to finish packing the captain's things. She had promised his family to send them his effects as soon as she got back from the funeral. When she was done, she asked Antoine to send the package to the family. Keira then proceeded to send out an email to the current section leaders of the Task Force informing them of the invitation from the King. All of them agreed it was necessary to meet since the invitation was set for three days from the current date.

After it was decided that they would be meeting tomorrow morning, Keira headed to her room. Since she was one of the few people who didn't live at headquarters. she had been given a room as soon as she had entered the Task Force. Keira still remembered following her grandfather around at the age of 13 as he gave her the grand tour. Many didn't agree that she was there since she happened to be the only female around but because her grandfather was the captain at that time he was allowed to take anyone he wanted as his apprentice. He had chosen her among everyone in the Task Force.