g, Elara began

loset, gathering every piece of clothing that carried her distinct scent-the soft cashmere sweaters, the silk blouses, the dress she'd worn

g shift change, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she slipped into the main supply closet. She found a bottle of concentrated lemon oil an

rly touched: the polished wood of the dresser, the silver handle o

dn't notice the subtle changes in the room, the lack of her familiar lavender scent. He wrinkled his nose slightl

her into a brief, perfunctory hug. "Alphas from all the allied packs are comi

gainst the rough fabric of his training sh

. It was a stage. The perfect, high-pro

,* her wolf correct

for her-a column of shimmering silver silk that clung to her form. It was beautiful, but cold,

ngratulations and well wishes for her birthday, but his attention was elsewhere. His stormy gray eye

Lila Fay

re-red dress designed to command attention. She paused at the doorway, a

his Luna's side and strode towards the human woman. Across the room, Elara saw Alpha Marcus of the Silver

oom at large, his voice carrying a note of

e cloying, sweet scent of Lila's perfume clinging to their Alpha like a second skin. It was a stark, olfactory declarat

roprietary, and led her through th

meet Lila," Kade said. It wasn'

similar in color to her own, held a triumphant, poorly concealed

a said, her voice even,

ade talks about you all the time, Luna." She stressed the title, a subtle

s. He steered her away from young, unmated wolves whose interest he deemed inappropriate. When Lila complained that her feet hurt, in

a fresh wound. Elara could feel the waves of emotion rippling through the mind-lin

ht air a balm on her feverish skin. An elderly she-wolf

" the woman whispered, her

the dance floor below. "The Goddess has a pla

traditionally reserved for the Alpha and his Luna. But it was L

completely lost, suffocated by the cloud of Lila's cheap perfume.

om years of managing the household, Elara slipp

she knelt and lifted a loose floorboard beneath her vanity, one she'd prepared years ago. From the hollow space, she withdrew a small, heavy velvet pouch. Inside was a thick bundle of ca

t her desk, she took a deep breath and sent a single, encrypted message from her tablet to the conta

't a confirmation. It was a single, cryptic question: *'What is the price of silence?'* Elara knew this was a test. Her fingers trembled as she typed the answer sh