Destined for Disaster ✔️

Chapter 1

It wasn't often that the fallacies of the werewolf population were brought to light in as scorching a manner as on Reconciliation Day. A grand spectacle of false hope, nepotism and blind faith, Austin despised of it.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're crazy or just naïve," he said. He was standing in line with his brother and waiting for admission into the Royal Prison. The queue stretched out some way in front of him and endlessly behind him, made up of people just as delusional as Ellis. "I'm starting to think it's both."

Ellis shot him a glance. "Watch how you speak to your Alpha."

"Alpha or not, this is a waste of time. Reconciliation Day has never yielded any results before."

"I have a feeling," Ellis said, as though that was enough of a reason to dress up nicely, leave at the crack of dawn and spend the majority of the day standing in line, just for the opportunity of wandering around a disgusting, dark prison to see if his mate was there.

Austin groaned. The people standing in front of him turned around with a look clearly intended to question his sanity. In his defence, he was slowly losing his mind.

"Don't start about fate," he said. "I beg you."

The conversation ended there for the moment, not because Ellis respected Austin's entreaty (talking about fate was one of his favourite pastimes), but because the line briefly staggered into movement. They shuffled forwards a step or two and Austin pushed a sigh through his nose. Austin wasn't one for crowds, or strangers – let alone crowds of strangers – and his patience was wearing thin.

Most of the people he saw seemed eager to be there, which filled him with equal parts aversion and envy. Everyone was dressed in their best apparel – even Austin, though Ellis had to use the full extent of his alpha authority to get him to agree to that. He was sweating in his jacket and plucked at the sleeves.

He diverted his attention to the monolithic edifice rising up in front of him, shielding his eyes with his hand. Little thought had been put into design, and aesthetics clearly hadn't been a priority. In effect the building was little more than a huge square with round towers at each corner.

"Did you know the prison was built two hundred and thirty-seven years ago?" Austin said. "Under the reign of king Rupert. They actually forced the prisoners to build it. A bit like digging your own grave."

Ellis' gaze flicked upwards. "If I'm not allowed to talk about fate, you're not allowed to talk about history."

With a huff, Austin consented. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and attempted to count how many guards were stationed on top of the towers. Dozens. The walls connecting each of the towers were as thick as a person was tall, the only point of entry a large silver-infused iron gate that was currently let up to allow the stream of people to enter.

The queue moved up an indiscernible distance again and Austin let a slow breath slip past his lips. He glimpsed behind him, at the line that extended far beyond what he could see. The prison was situated in the middle of the Royal Wolves' territory, on a clearing amidst endless woods. The stream of people filled the space in tangled rows and then disappeared between the trees in the distance.

Another step forward. If nothing worse, it was all pointless. Even if Austin was to find his mate behind those dark walls, it would only complicate matters. He already had a mate lined up – a chosen one, yes, but a mate nonetheless.

"If you would just accept that I want to mate Julie, we wouldn't have to spend our day crammed between thousands of strangers."

It was a point of endless discord between them and Ellis sighed. "She's not meant for you, Austin."