Donovan's response arrives at sunset—not as a message or a letter, but as a declaration of war.
I'm in the training yard, pushing my body through drills to burn off the lingering rage from the morning council, when Thorne finds me. His face is ashen, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Luna. You need to see this."
He hands me a parchment sealed with Ironwood's crest. The wax is already broken—he's read it first, as protocol allows in emergencies.
I unfold it, and the words hit like a physical blow.
To the so-called Lupine Kingdom,
Ironwood Pack hereby withdraws from your alliance. We will not submit to tyranny disguised as leadership. We will not bow to a Luna who rules through fear and false accusations.
Consider this your only warning: any attempt to interfere with Ironwood's sovereignty w
