LOGINThe grand hall erupted into a wave of quiet, tense murmurs. The visiting leaders exchanged sharp glances, trying to process the scale of the deception Sera was describing.Alpha Vance of the Crestwood pack stood up, leaning his hands flat on the banquet table as he stared down at Sera. "Explain that better, child. If Alpha Martinns was murdered and his family targeted, how did an entire pack just forget their true ruler? How did the rest of the world not notice? Explain exactly how that happened."Sera took a steady breath, keeping her voice calm and direct. "Because Silas, Lucan’s father, didn't just kill the Alpha...he completely changed the pack's identity. The moment he took over, his first order was to change the pack's name from the Silvermoon Pack to the NightLight Pack. He wanted to erase the past entirely and give the people a new name to focus on."She looked directly at Morgana, who had gone completely still."But the pack elders who were loyal to Alpha Martinns refuse
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the grand hall. The visiting Alphas exchanged long, tense glances, the revelation stirring old memories that had been buried under decades of political silence.One by one, six Alphas stood up, their expressions grim as the pieces of a historic puzzle finally began to click into place.Alpha Thomas of the Stonefang pack, the oldest leader in attendance, was the first to speak. His deep, gravelly voice carried the weight of years. "I remember," he said, his brow furrowed. "I remember when the NightLight pack suddenly changed hands. We were told the late Alpha Martinns died of a sudden, wasting sickness in the dead of winter. Your father stepped up to lead. But there were always whispers... whispers that a healthy Alpha doesn't just waste away in a week."Beside him, Alpha Craig of the Ironwood pack nodded in agreement. "My father was the leader back then, and he always questioned it. He told me that NightLight’s borders closed overnight. We al
Riven let the heavy silence stretch, allowing the words of the allied leaders to settle over the hall. He looked down at Lucan, whose eyes were wide with the sudden, terrifying realization that he had completely lost the room.Then, Riven looked back at the council, his expression hardening."We have settled the matter of the child," Riven said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, icy register. "But Lucan didn’t just bring lies about my bloodline into this hall. When he walked in here, he dragged the Luna’s prophecy through the dirt, calling her a blight and a curse. More than that, he marched an armed escort into a peaceful summit, spitting on the laws of hospitality and crashing a diplomatic, happy event that we all spent months preparing for."Riven crossed his arms, stepping closer to the tables. "So, let us finish the ledger. What do the Alphas of the allied territories think about the insults he hurled at my mate's destiny? And what do you think about the insult he offered
"That's a lie!" Morgana shrieked, finding her voice even without her magic. "We didn't force...""He's making it up to cover her tracks!" Zara chimed in, her voice shrill with desperation as she tried to back up the witch. "Don't listen to him! He's...he's a liar"Before either of them could finish their sentences, Dorian stepped out of the shadows. The relaxed smirk was gone from his face, replaced by a cold, lethal aura that instantly filled the space between them. He didn't even draw a weapon; he just let his heavy, oppressive Beta pressure slam into the two women, forcing the air right out of their lungs."Shut your mouths," Dorian said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly tone that made both Morgana and Zara instantly snap their jaws shut.He stepped right into the light of the torches, looking past the trembling women and straight at the council of visiting Alphas."You all want to know the truth about what happened in NightLight?" Dorian asked, gesturing broadly
Zara’s triumphant smirk completely vanished as she watched Lucan get systematically dismantled on the floor. Panic finally broke through her smug facade."Morgana, do something!" Zara shrieked, grabbing the witch by her shoulder and shaking her violently. "Use your magic! Blast him! Do anything!"Morgana shoved Zara’s hands off her, her face pale as she clutched her own numb wrists. "I can't!" she hissed back, her voice laced with sheer panic. "The High Priestess severed my connection! I have nothing! I'm completely locked out from my magic until we leave her presence!""Useless!" Zara spat, her voice cracking.Desperate, Zara spun around and grabbed the front of Theron’s tunic, staring at her father with wide, pleading eyes. "Father, please! You have to pull Riven off him! He's going to kill my mate!"Theron looked down at his daughter, his expression a pathetic mixture of terror and absolute helplessness. He didn't move a muscle toward the fight. Ever since his Beta strength ha
A loud growl of pure rage left Riven's mouth and with a snap, Riven winnowed off the dais. He appeared right in front of Lucan and grabbed him by the throat before the man could even blink. The force of it lifted Lucan completely off his feet.Morgana screamed, scrambling backward into Theron as Riven slammed Lucan’s back into the nearest empty banquet table, splintering the heavy wood. Riven didn't stop. He dragged Lucan by his neck across the room, plowing him through silver platters, spilling food and wine everywhere.Lucan clawed frantically at Riven’s hand, his legs kicking uselessly in the air as his face turned blue.Riven hauled him to the center of the hall and slammed him hard onto the stone floor, pinning him by his throat. Riven leaned down, his face inches from Lucan’s, completely furious."Say it again," Riven growled, his voice shaking the room. "Look at my mate and say those words again, you pathetic piece of filth."Lucan choked, a wet gasp escaping his lips as h
Elara wasn’t asleep. She had been lying awake in the dark, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, waiting. She had known Sera wouldn’t just sit in her room and accept her ruin. A desperate, arrogant woman stripped of her status was entirely predictable. Elara wasn't stupid...so she waited for Sera.The hea
The heavy sound of footsteps echoed down the hall as Lucan rounded the corner just in time to hear the low, seductive murmur of Sera’s voice, followed by the guard’s quiet, intimate laugh.He froze. In the dim light of the corridor, Lucan saw the guard's hand resting tenderly on Sera’s cheek, thei
The following evening, Elara put the next part of her plan into motion.It honestly surprised her how easy it was.Perhaps because nobody in NightLight truly expected her to think for herself.She found Sera walking down the main corridor. As usual, Sera sneered the moment she saw her, tilting her
Pretending for one day was one thing, but Elara having to pretend she was still in love with Lucan for three full days was physically draining. The heavy velvet curtains kept the chill out of Lucan's room, but the air inside still felt thick as Elara stood behind Lucan, her fingers digging into th







