The Alpha’s summons comes without warning.
I feel the shift before reaching the packhouse. A ripple through the threads that bind us, a subtle pulse whispering danger. The corridors are quieter than usual; I move swiftly, steps measured, wolf alert under my skin. My brothers are elsewhere, still recovering from Kael’s outburst. Alaric doesn’t want witnesses.
The door opens before I knock.
“Kaia.” Alaric says, low, smooth, yet heavy with command. “Come in.”
The office is larger than it seems, walls lined with the quiet authority of generations. Moonlight spills through high windows, silver on dark wood, painting him in sharp contrast. His gaze straightens me, wolf pressing forward inside me, alert and wary.
“You’re alone. No brothers. No Talon.”
“I came as ordered.” I reply evenly, pu
