Chapter 3

At dawn the next morning, I arrived at the Royal Citadel. As I walked into the grand stone fortress in dark formal robes, the border sentry froze, stunned by the unfamiliar presence at his gate.

"State your name and business," the sentry demanded, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

Otis stepped forward behind me, his voice calm but layered with the weight of a Beta's authority. "This is Lady Elena Moonclaw, the Alpha Queen and sole heir to this Kingdom."

The sentry's expression shifted from confusion to pure shock. "L-Lady Moonclaw?" he stammered, immediately bowing his head and baring his neck in submission.

The grand staircase took us straight to the Council Chamber. When the heavy carved doors swung open, all twelve Elders were already seated. The high stone chair at the end of the long table had sat empty for three winters.

I walked over, pulled out the chair, and sat down.

"Thank you for waiting," I said.

The chamber fell silent for a full five seconds.

Clive Moonclaw, my Elder Uncle and the Regent Beta, was the first to speak. "Elena, you've been missing for three winters. You can't just walk in here and take the Alpha's seat."

"This seat was always mine," I replied.

"And what makes you think you deserve it?"

"By the Elder King's proclamation, by the sacred blood-oath sworn to my line, and because I am the sole living heir of the Moonclaw bloodline."

Clive's face darkened. "You're a she-wolf who has already rejected her mate—"

"The blood pact is severed," I cut in.

I tossed the blood-stained rejection parchment onto the long table.

"Any other questions?" I asked.

Isabel Moonclaw, his mate, cut in. "Elena, Clive didn't mean it like that. You just got back, and you're not familiar with the pack's situation. Clive has been managing the territory for the past three winters."

"Tribute collection has fallen by 18 percent. Three of our sworn territories have withdrawn their loyalty oaths. Every vassal pack beyond the Midgard Continent has severed their pledges," I said.

I unrolled the treasury ledgers in front of me.

"This is what you call management?" I asked.

Clive's face went from pale to red. "The winters have been harsh—"

"The Frostfang Kingdom, the only pack that rivals our ancient bloodline, has expanded its dominion by 12 percent in this same span," I said.

I rolled the ledger shut.

"Uncle Clive, blaming the harsh winters might fool the vassal alphas, but you can't pull that on me."

Everyone fell silent.

I stood up.

"Starting today, every territorial overseer reports directly to me. The coin auditors have three suns to finish the treasury inspection and have the results on my desk."

I let my gaze linger on each Elder in the room, letting the raw pressure of my Alpha aura settle over their shoulders.

"The council is adjourned," I said.

As I walked out of the Council Chamber, my mindlink chimed. It was an unfamiliar mental frequency, but the cloying scent of it gave her away.

"Elena, did you scurry back to your rogue camp?" Gloria's voice echoed in my head, her tone airy and dismissive. "Derek and I talked it over. That 250 gold coins in pup tribute is way too much. 100 gold coins should be enough. As for the remaining 150, just use it to buy some decent scraps for Shane and Leila."

I leaned against the stone archway in the corridor, looking out over the sprawling territories of Moonhaven below.

"Gloria," I said through the link.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Did you bother to check the herald proclamations about the Moonclaw Kingdom before you reached out?" I asked.

There was silence on the other end.

"Tell Derek I'll return the exact 250 gold coins," I said.

I severed the link.

"My pup doesn't need a single coin from the Blackthorn Pack," I murmured.

Otis stood quietly behind me.

"Alpha Queen, what's next?" he asked.

"Set up a meeting with Archie for me," I said.

"King Frostfang?" Otis clarified.

"Yes."

I looked out at the towering silver spire across the valley, the stronghold of the Frostfang Kingdom.

"Let's get down to pack affairs," I said.