Chapter 1

"Take the coins. Go sit with the common wolves."

The velvet pouch hit my chest and dropped to the floor.

Silver coins. Scattered at my feet like I was a stray who had wandered through the wrong door.

I didn't move.

The woman in front of me—polished, calculated, wearing that particular smile women wear when they've already decided you don't matter—tilted her head.

"Still here?"

Around us, wolves were watching. Some curious. Some already whispering.

She probably lied about her invitation.

Don't cross the Shadowcrest Pack.

I looked at the coins on the floor. I looked at her.

I thought about my mother's voice on the phone three days ago—he's powerful, young, already an Alpha—and I almost laughed.

Almost.

"I was invited here," I said. "This is my assigned section."

She raised an eyebrow and laughed, as if I had told a joke.

"Because I'm the executive assistant to Alpha Calder. Calder Thornveil. Alpha of Shadowcrest Pack. In this territory?

In this gathering? We get whatever we want."

I stared at her for a moment, then used my mindlink—a sacred connection reserved only for high-ranking wolves—to reach Calder Thornveil directly. The moment the connection opened, I asked coldly, "Your assistant is claiming your pack can control this entire alliance gathering. Is that true?"

There was a brief flicker of shock through the link before it snapped shut.

Calder Thornveil had severed the mindlink without a word.

Kira—the assistant—smirked at me triumphantly. "Wow. Your future mate didn't even bother responding. That tells you everything, doesn't it?"

Several wolves nearby began whispering.

"Don't cross the Shadowcrest Pack."

"Yeah, Alpha Calder's bloodline rules half the northern territories," a she-wolf muttered.

Another wolf whispered, "She probably lied about her invitation. She should just apologize."

Kira's smile widened. "See? Even they know your place." She tapped my shoulder deliberately. "Now be a good little wolf and apologize. Say you're sorry for blocking Alpha Calder's guests."

I let out a cold laugh. "Apologize? To you?"

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Don't test me."

"Funny," I said evenly. "I thought our kind followed the Old Laws. Turns out you can just insult wolves by talking loud enough?"

She scoffed, raised her hand, and swung—aiming directly for my face. But she was too slow. Before her hand landed, I caught her wrist and twisted lightly.

A sharp scream burst out. "Ahhh! You—let go! Let go!"

Wolves stared in shock as she doubled over, her wolf instincts making her whimper involuntarily.

Just then, a cold male voice came from behind us: "Release her. Now."