TO SATE AN ALPHA'S FURY

Sophie POV

I walked quietly out of the gate. The iron bars clanged behind me. I felt disappointed.

The air was cold. It carried the scent of pine and burnt coal. I saw Alaric pacing the dirt path. He was already trying to find his way in. He must be wondering what I was doing.

He looked at me with sharp eyes.

"What did he say?" Alaric asked.

He stepped toward me. His shadow fell over the grass.

"He said he can't make a pressure cooker." I replied.

I looked back at the gate.

"I know he is lying. He knows the mechanics of the machine. He knows how to seal a vessel. He is just not convinced. We have to look for another way to appease him."

Soon we heard thunder rumbling. The sound rolled across the mountain. Signifying it was about to rain.

The sky turned a bruised purple. Dark clouds moved fast over our heads.

We walked to a small batcher house. It stood just outside the blacksmith's gate.

It was a rough shelter made of wood and thatch. It had firm walls and a leaky roof.

At least we can be covered when the rain starts.

We stood there. I watched the first drops of rain hit the dust.

I thought about Kaelen. A man who lives alone in the Silent Peak does not have many options for food. He eats scraps. He eats bland rice.

I thought about the way his nose twitched. When he smelled the sugar.

"What if I cook something to change the his mind?" I asked to myself.

I looked at the group.

"Who is hungry?" I asked.

Alaric raised his hand first. He did not hesitate. Then Thomas and Roland followed. Their stomachs rumbled.

"We need ingredients to make something." I said.

We all ran into the rain. We headed for a nearby market. It was a small outpost for travelers. We found flour. Oil. And yeast. We found tomatoes. And a ball of hard white cheese.

We returned to the batcher house as the rain began to pour heavily. I saw some leftover wood in the corner. It was dry.

"Roland, please make a fire manually." I pleaded.

Thomas tried first. He used a flint. The sparks flew into the dry leaves. Smoke started coming out.

Alaric sat down away from us. He leaned against a wooden pillar. He was tired. He needed rest. But his eyes never left me.

Roland began to blow the fire. He stayed low to the ground. Thomas joined him.

"Hmmmm. Good. Good." I said to them.

Alaric kept staring at us. He watched Roland and Thomas working near me. He was getting jealous. He stood up. He brushed off dirt from his tunic.

"Move." Alaric commanded.

He stepped between his men.

"I will blow the fire." He said.

He took a large palm fan from the corner. He started blowing the fire with powerful strokes. The flames roared to life.

"Like this?" He asked me.

He looked up. His face was flushed from the heat.

"Yes. Good." I replied.

A quick smile spread across his face. He looked proud.

I began my work. I mixed the flour and water. I added the yeast. I made a dough on a flat piece of wood. I gave Thomas and Roland the tomatoes.

"Grind these into a smooth paste." I said.

Roland and Thomas took a smooth stone.

They washed it with water from the rain. They started grinding the tomatoes.

I complimented them for their work. Alaric saw this. He left the fire immediately. He went to help them grind. He wanted to be the most useful man in the shelter.

I wanted to make pizza. It is a food for comfort. It is hard to resist the smell. Especially the smell of melting cheese. And toasted bread.

I prepped the ingredients. I arranged the dough on a pan. I added tomato paste. I sprinkled the cheese. I added other ingredients. And placed it over the fire to bake.

"Uhmm." Alaric yawned.

He leaned in closer.

"It smells delicious." Thomas said.

He wiped his hands on his tunic.

"What kind of dish is this?" Roland asked.

He looked at the bubbling cheese.

"I have never seen such dish before."

"It is called pizza." I said.

I looked at the smoke. The wind was blowing it toward the gate.

"We should blow the scent toward his gate." I said.

"I want Kaelen to perceive it. A man like him won't have many options. This scent will haunt him."

Thomas and Roland did as I have asked.

Soon the pizza was ready. The crust was golden. The cheese was brown and bubbling.

I brought it down with the pan. There was no plate we could use. We heard the gate open. The wood groaned. I saw Kaelen peeking out. He was sniffing the air.

"Don't act like you see him." I whispered to everyone.

We were all focused on the meal. We acted like we were having the best meal ever.

Kaelen walked slowly to the batcher house. He saw Alaric. He attempted to run away.

"Kaelen, don't run." I said.

I did not look up from the pan.

"No one is angry with you here."

He stood still. He did not say a word. His gaze was fixed on the pizza.

"What is that?" He asked.

His voice was weak.

"Is it the scent I have been hearing inside my house?"

"This is what I call pizza." I explained.

"It is a dish from where I come from. It is warm. It is filling."

"You can join us." I urged him.

He looked at Alaric. He wanted to join us. He feared what Alaric would do. His stomach rumbled.

"Come join us." I urged him again.

I sliced the pizza into six parts using Thomas' dagger.

I took one part. I gestured that he should collect it. He moved swiftly. He took it from my hand. He took a bite.

"Uhmm. Hmmm. Hmmm." He made a sound. His eyes closed.

"Oh. I never thought I would taste a meal like this since I was exiled." Kaelen said.

His voice cracked.

"I... I have only been eating scraps. I have been eating bland rice."

He was teary. He devoured the pizza in seconds.

Thomas, Roland, and Alaric took theirs too. They ate in silence.

"Indeed the ghost chef knows how to cook." Thomas said.

"Shhush." Alaric hushed him.

"She is not a ghost." Alaric whispered.

Kaelen finished his slice. He licked his fingers. He looked at the empty pan.

"You have given me a taste of home." Kaelen said.

He looked at me with respect.

"I will consider your request."

"When do you need the cooker?" He asked.

"In two days time." I responded immediately.

"Hmmm. Two days is not enough time for me to make a pressure cooker." Kaelen said.

He shook his head.

"I am the only one here. I don't have enough manpower."

"If you have a man to help. Will you be able to finish it in two days?" I asked him.

"Yes." Kaelen said.

"We would work all night and all day. We can finish it in two days if we don't stop."

"Thomas will stay with you to help." Alaric stated.

He stood up. He looked at Thomas. Thomas nodded.

"Let me have the sketch." Kaelen said.

I gave him the parchment. He took it. He headed back to his gate. Thomas followed him.

I turned to Alaric. He looked relieved. It was as if a weight was lifted from my chest.

"We will go to the southern territory tomorrow." I said.

"We need to get other ingredients and wild herbs."

"That will take about a day and a half. We would go from here and come back for the device." Roland said.

He checked the map.

"Are we going to make it back in time?" Roland asked.

"We would walk fast." I said.

"We will get the herbs quickly. We must return in time."

"We can't start the journey now." I added.

"It is already late. The rain will make the paths slippery. We should go in the morning."

"Come have some rest, Sophie." Alaric said.

I sat on a pile of hay. I was ready to sleep. It was really cold after the rain. The damp air moved through the open walls of the shelter.

Alaric removed his tunic. He placed it across my shoulders to help me feel warm. I leaned back. I slept sound. I could smell him on his tunic.

The next morning. We prepared to start the journey. The sun was just hitting the peaks.

We bade Thomas and Kaelen goodbye.

We had solved a part of the puzzle. We had a manufacturer.

But we still have a long way to go.

Chef Fenris POV

We have known the theme for the competition. We have prepared all our ingredients.

The air in the was thick. Alpha Stone summoned us to his chamber. The walk was short. The stone walls felt like they were closing in. This place is too soft. I missed the sharp bite of the northern winds.

We entered his room. The Alpha sat in a chair carved from black oak.

He did not look at us immediately. He sharpened a small dagger with a whetstone. The scrape of metal on stone filled the silence.

He finally looked up. His eyes were cold.

"Tell me." Alpha Stone said.

His voice a low growl.

"What do you plan to prepare for the three rounds of the competition? I will not accept a loss. The Moon Crescent Pack needs this victory to survive."

I stepped forward. I am the lead for the second round. I know the weight of our hunger.

"Chef Skade will handle the first round." I said.

"Varg and I will be her assistants. She will be making the Glacial Peaked Poultry. It is a chicken dish not known in this time. She will use chilled fats to create a texture that shatters like ice before it gets to the throat."

"For the second round." I continued.

"I will be making the Moss-Crusted Venison. It is a Blackwood dish. I will cook wild herbs with a real kind of liquor. It is called the Blood-Vine Liquor. I will serve the liquor as a side drink. Skade and Varg will assist me."

"And for the third round." I concluded.

"Chef Varg will make the Gilded Pond Soup. He will use the giant golden lettuce flower as the base. He will make a duck soup with a golden color broth. Skade and I will be his assistants."

Alpha Stone stopped sharpening his blade. A dangerous smile spread across his face.

"It is good that you are prepared." He said.

"Do you have all the ingredients ready?"

"I have checked them myself, Alpha." I replied.

"They are secure."

"Perfect." He said.

He stood up. He sheathed his dagger.

"The Blackwood kingdom is not ready for what is to come. Even though we have been assured victory through other means. We would still give them a taste of a dish they would marvel at. I want them to know their best is nothing compared to our skill."

He looked at the window.

"Now, begone. Sharpen your knives. If you fail me, do not bother returning to the pack." Alpha Stone stated.

His dismissal was a threat. Not a gesture.

We headed for our rooms. The hallway was empty.

Skade stopped by a large tapestry. She adjusted the silver pins in her hair.

"I am going for a walk around the palace." Skade said.

Her eyes were bright with a strange hunger.

"I want to see the layout of their defenses. And their stoves."

"This is not our pack, Skade." I warned her.

I gripped her shoulder.

"Be careful not to do anything that will implicate us. We are guests. For now."

"I am always careful, Fenris." She whispered.

She turned. She vanished into the shadows. She was going through the servant's stairs.

Varg did not even look at her. He went to his room. He is a man of few words. He only lives for the fire. And the blade.

I did not believe Skade. She had been sneaking out since the competition was announced.

I followed her slowly. I kept my distance. I saw her reach the royal kitchen.

What is she doing in the royal kitchen? I asked myself.

I stood over a stone fence. I peeped through the kitchen window. The smell of roasting meat and old flour drifted out.

I saw Skade move inside. She stood in the center of the room. She looked like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Where is the Chief Royal Chef?" Skade asked.

Her voice was loud. It was a challenge.

"She is not available." A young boy replied.

He was chopping carrots. His hands were small.

"A days to the competition and the Chief Royal Chef is not available?" Skade asked.

Mockery dripped from her tongue.

"Is she scared? Is she trying to run away from the competition because she knows she will lose?"

"How dare you talk about our Chief Royal Chef like that!" Chef Silas yelled.

He slammed a wooden spoon on a table.

"Why will she run from you? Even our youngest chef here, Chef Pip, can handle your arrogance."

Silas looked at the boy. Pip looked like he wanted to hide.

"He can?" Skade asked.

She pulled a curved knife from her belt. She began to spin it.

"Let us see. I challenge this child to a knife work match."

"Y... ye... yes." Pip stammered.

He looked at Silas. Silas nodded at him.

"Why would you just come to our royal kitchen and demand a competition?" Martha asked.

She wiped her hands on a dirty apron.

"Are you trying to show off your skills or what? We have work to do."

Skade completely ignored her. She looked only at the boy.

"Don't worry, Martha." Silas said.

"Today the mighty shall fall. Let the challenge begin!"

I watched Skade. She took a full onion from a basket. Her hand became a blur.

The sound of the knife hitting the wood was like a drum.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

In less than a minutes. The onion was a pile of transparent, even slices.

Pip was still struggling. He had only cut a quarter of his onion. His slices were thick and uneven.

"We won't blame him. He is the youngest chef. If you dare challenge me." Silas challenged.

Skade didn't say a word. She gesture that he come forward.

"My turn." Silas said.

He took a knife.

Skade beat him too. She cut faster than the eye could follow. She finished by slamming her knife into the table. The blade buried itself deep into the wood.

"Tell your ghost chef that I am waiting." Skade said.

She walked out of the kitchen. Her head high.

I watched the Blackwood chefs through the window. They looked defeated.

"I cannot believe she is that fast." Pip said.

He was shaking.

"My hands feel like lead."

"Do not cry, boy." Silas said.

He tried to pull the knife out of the table. But it was stuck.

"We will report this to Sophie when she comes back. We must tell her the northerners are using psychological warfare."

"Look at this blade." Martha said.

She touched the hilt.

"We should leave the knife exactly like this. We will show Sophie that Skade had the nerve to challenge her in her own kitchen. It will stoke her fire."

"Yes." Silas agreed.

"Leave it. Let it be the first thing she sees. She will know we were insulted."

I left the window.

I headed back toward the guest rooms. I took a shortcut through the corridor.

I heard voices coming from a side room. I recognized the deep tone of Alpha Stone. And the drunken voice of Grand Prince Magnus.

I stayed behind a stone pillar.

"The girl must not reach the kitchen on the day of the match." Magnus said.

"You said you had a plan." Alpha Stone replied.

"I do." Magnus said.

"I have men positioned. I will kill the Chief Royal Chef to make sure she is not available for the competition. Blackwood will lose. Alaric will fall. My plans for the throne will finally become a reality."

"Do what you must." Alpha Stone said.

"I only care about the harvest rights."

My heart hammered. This was murder.

This was not the way of a true chef. I waited for them to leave. I waited for the day to get dark.

I needed to warn them. But I could not be seen.

I found a piece of parchment. I crafted a message. I used a cipher that only a high-ranking official like the Beta would know how to read.

To anyone else, it looked like a blank page.

I headed back toward the kitchen area. I saw Silas and Martha walking to their quarters. They were still talking about Skade.

"She moves like a demon, Silas." Martha said.

"How can a human hand move that fast?"

"It is not human." Silas muttered.

"It is northern speed. Sophie will show her. Sophie has a different kind of speed."

I wore a dark cloak. I pulled the hood over my face. I stepped out of the shadows. They both gasped. Martha dropped her basket.

"Please! Do not kill us!" Martha pleaded.

She fell to her knees.

"I'm not here to kill you." I said.

I kept my voice low. A distorted rasp.

I handed Silas the message.

"Give this to the king's trusted friend and Beta." I commanded.

"Why should we give him an empty paper?" Martha asked.

She peeked at it in the moonlight.

"There is nothing here."

"Give it to him." I replied.

I stepped back into the darkness.

"He would know what to do with it. If you value your lives and your chef. Do not lose that paper."

I disappeared into the shadows. I climbed the stone wall back to my room. My arm was shaking.

I am a cook. Not a spy. But I could not let a master of the craft be slaughtered.

The Chief Royal Chef is in danger.

Sophie POV

The southern territory looked like a different world. The trees grew closer together.

The air was thick. My boots sank into the mud. I stared at the plants. I looked for the jagged leaves of wild ginger.

I searched for swamp lilies. I also needed the sulfur root. It grows in the heart of these wetlands. It provides a savory depth to the broth.

This depth balances the heat of the peppers. Alaric stayed close to me. He moved with quiet power. He didn't act like a king. He acted like my protector.

"Is that what you need?" Alaric asked.

He pointed to a cluster of small pods.

"Yes." I said.

"Those are the marsh lilies. They provide the floral notes for the duck soup. Be careful. The stems have fine hairs. They irritate the skin."

Alaric reached into the thorns. He did not hesitate. He plucked the lilies. He placed them in my leather satchel. His hands remained steady. I saw a small scratch on his thumb. He ignored it.

"We need the blue flowers now." I said.

"They only grow near running water."

We walked toward a creek. The sun was setting. Roland walked ten paces ahead. He scanned the trees. His hand never left his sword.

"We are running out of time Alaric." I said.

I felt the pressure in my chest.

"The journey back will take hours. The competition starts at sunrise. If we miss the opening ceremony, the Moon Crescent Pack wins by default."

"We will make it, Sophie." Alaric said.

He looked at me. His eyes were firm.

"I will not let the clock defeat you. Focus on the herbs. I will focus on the path."

We reached the creek. The water was clear and cold. I saw the flowers. They were small and delicate. They grew in the moss between the wet stones.

I knelt down. The cold water soaked my clothes. I began to pluck the blue petals. These flowers would give the beef its aroma. They were the heart of the first dish.

"I have them." I said.

I stood up. I wiped my hands on my cloth.

"We have everything. Let us move."

The walk back to the Silent Peak was a test of endurance. We did not stop to rest. We did not stop to drink. My legs felt stiffed. My lungs burned.

Alaric asked if he should carry me. I know he was tired too. He just wants me to be fine. He kept a hand on my back. He pushed me forward when I slowed down.

"The blacksmith should be finished by now." Alaric said.

"He must be." I replied.

"Without that cooker, these lilies and flowers are useless. I cannot tenderize the meat in time with a normal pot. The marrow will not release its essence."

"Kaelen looks like a man of his word." Alaric said.

"He knows the stakes. Thomas is there to ensure he does not sleep. No man ignores the command of a king's beta."

Alaric was trying to make me laugh. I smiled. I had called him the King's Beta. Now he is using it to tease me.

We climbed the steep path back to the forge. The smell of coal and hot iron met us.

The sky is now dark. The first stars appeared. We reached the clearing.

I saw Kaelen standing his long wooden table. Thomas stood next to him. They both looked like they had been through a war. Their faces were black with soot. Their shirts were soaked with sweat.

In the center of the table sat an iron vessel. It was thick and dark. It had a lid with a brass locking mechanism. A small weight sat on top of a vent. It was the pressure cooker.

"It is done." Kaelen said.

He sounded exhausted.

I ran to the table. I touched the cold iron. I felt the seams. They were tight. I checked the valve. It moved freely. This was the key to my victory.

"Thank you, Kaelen." I said.

"This is perfect. It is exactly what I drew."

"It was difficult." Kaelen said.

"The seals had to be exact. Thomas helped with the bellows. We worked through the night. The iron resisted. The pressure of your deadline forced my hand."

"You did well, Thomas." Alaric said.

"It is a strange machine, Sire." Thomas replied.

"But it holds the heat. It hissed at us all night."

We were all exhausted. The walk from the south had drained my strength. Alaric looked tired. Kaelen and Thomas had not slept in twenty four hours. The pressure cooker sat on the table like a prize.

"We must rest." Kaelen said.

"The sun will rise in a few hours. You need your strength for the journey and the kitchen."

We moved into the small stone house. I found a corner with dry straw. Alaric sat beside me.

Roland stood near the door for a moment before sitting down. Thomas leaned against the wall. We fell asleep quickly. The silence of the mountain covered us.

Only a few hours of sleep. The room was still dark. Someone tapped my shoulder. It was Kaelen. He moved silently. He placed a finger to his lips.

"Someone is coming." Kaelen whispered.

I felt Alaric stir beside me. He was awake instantly. His hand went to his sword.

Roland and Thomas were already on their feet. They were moving silently. The air in the room was heavy.

Suddenly, the silence broke. A small bell near the gate gave a sharp, ring.

Cling.

"Quiet." Kaelen whispered.

He moved toward the iron gear on the wall.

"I have set silver wires in the bushes. They are alarms. They tell me when the perimeter is breached."

Cling. Cling. Cling.

Three more bells rang in succession. They came from different directions.

"They are many." Kaelen said.

His voice was flat.

"And they are coming fast. They have surrounded us. This is not a coincidence. This is an organized hunt."

Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling.

The sound became a frantic chorus. The bells were screaming now. The pressure of the situation felt physical.

"They are getting close." Kaelen said.

"What do we do?" Alaric asked.

He drew his sword. He stepped in front of me.

"Protect the Chef." Kaelen commanded.

"I know how to defend my home. Roland get to the gate. When I give the word, open it wide."

Roland moved to the gate. He gripped the wooden bars.

"Once the gate is open, I will pull this gear." Kaelen explained.

"It triggers the silver tipped arrows. It will clear the entrance."

Cling. Cling. Cling.

"Now!" Kaelen yelled.

Roland threw the gate open. He stepped to the side. I saw a mass of grey fur and dark leather.

Rogue wolves were gathered at the entrance. They were snarling. Their eyes were fixed on me. They ignored the iron. They wanted me.

Kaelen pulled the gear. The mechanical thud shook the ground. Dozens of silver arrows hissed from the walls. They tore through the front rank of the rogues. Many fell. But more took their place.

They were jumping over the walls now.

Kaelen threw a spare sword to Alaric.

"Go! Take Sophie and go!" Kaelen shouted.

He grabbed a smithing hammer.

"We will handle them! Just go, Cassian!"

He used the name of the Beta.

"Keep the girl safe!" Kaelen screamed.

"Someone sent them for her! They do not want anything! They want the chef! They want to end the competition before it starts!"

A rogue jumped from the roof. He aimed his knife at my throat. Alaric lunged. He caught me. He swung his sword. He drove the blade into the rogue's chest.

I fell down to the ground. The impact knocked me. The iron cover of the pressure cooker slid off. It hit the dirt. It rolled into the center of the fight.

"The cover!" I screamed.

"Alaric, we need the lid!"

"Don't worry! I will bring it in time! Just go! Follow the path!" Kaelen yelled.

He smashed the head of a rogue with his hammer.

"The lid is useless if you are dead!"

"Go inside the house!" Kaelen pointed.

"There is a small hole in the back room. It leads to the secret forest trail. Go now!"

Boom!

A cloud of smoke exploded in the courtyard. Kaelen had triggered a smoke pot. It blinded the rogues.

Alaric gripped my hand. His palm felt hot.

"Run!" He roared.

We crawled through the narrow hole in the back of the house. We emerged into a dense part of the forest.

We ran through the thorns. My cloak caught on branches. I ripped it free.

Thomas stopped. He turned around. He looked at the smoke rising from the forge.

"Roland, continue with the Alpha and the Chef." Thomas said.

He checked his daggers.

"I will handle any of them I come across. I will slow them down. They cannot track what they cannot see."

"Are you sure?" Roland asked.

"Yes." Thomas said.

"I am the fast. Go. Keep her moving toward the palace."

Thomas vanished into the dark. Roland, Alaric, and I ran for miles. My chest was tight. Every breath was a struggle.

We reached a crossroad. The path went left and right. Roland stopped.

"Follow the left path." Roland said.

"I will take the right. I will make enough noise to lead them away. I will distract the main group. I will see you at the palace gates."

"Do not die, Roland." Alaric said.

"I have no intention of dying today, Sire." Roland replied.

Alaric and I ran through the left path. He did not let go of my hand. He pulled me along.

We ran for a long time. The forest remained silent. The only sound was our footsteps.

Then, I heard the sound of snapping branches.

Six rogues stepped out from the trees. They had surrounded us. They did not look at Alaric. They did not care about the King. They looked at me. Their blades were leveled at my stomach.

Alaric stood his ground. He planted his feet. He took a defensive stance. He began to fight. He was really good with a sword. He fought with one hand. His other hand stayed firmly on my arm. He kept me behind him.

"Stay behind me!" He commanded.

He parried a blow from an axe. He spun. He cut the throat of the rogue on his right. He was fast. He was lethal. But there were too many. They attacked from all sides.

The pressure of the ambush was overwhelming.

A rogue lunged from the shadows. His sword was inches from my neck. Alaric roared. He pulled me into his chest. He drove his sword into the stomach of the attacker.

I saw a flash of silver. A rogue's blade caught the shoulder of Alaric.

"Your Majesty! You are hurt!" I yelled.

"I am fine!" Alaric said.

He did not slow down.

"Before they can get to you, they must pass through me!"

One rogue was faster than the others. He was violent. He lunged for my stomach with a dagger. Alaric did not have time to parry. He jumped in front of me.

The blade pierced his side. I heard the sound of the sword cutting through his tunic and skin. Alaric groaned.

He stumbled. But he did not fall. He swung. He killed the man who stabbed him.

I looked at the blood. It was dark and thick. I looked at the forest.

The weight of the last three days hit me. The fear for Alaric was the final blow. My knees became weak.

My vision blurred. I headed for the ground.

Everything went blank.