NATALIA
The Green Ridge hall was grander than I expected—not in size, but in confidence. It didn’t need opulence to prove itself. The old stone walls were half-covered in rich green moss and etched with the marks of long-standing territory.
Gold-framed banners of visiting packs swayed gently under high-arched beams, and an intricate chandelier, shaped like a wolf’s outstretched paw, flickered with floating candles overhead.
It was beautiful in the way old power always is—quietly, unmistakably sure of itself.
I adjusted the neckline of my navy dress and took a breath as I entered, trying to ignore the immediate wave of heat that pressed in from the crowded room. Conversations hummed beneath the music.
Every Alpha, Luna, and visiting envoy in attendance moved with practiced grace. The
