ra

heavy oak tables, warriors tore at roasted boar with greasy fingers and drank from dented tankar

her, she had emptied the co

, her voice carrying over the

he tables, the sound of wood bang

ms her spoils!" a hul

ready naming

wager is nearly up, Kaelen. Will

ther she-wolves that she could secure Kaelen's prop

Instead, a low growl rumbled in his chest, a sound meant as a warning, yet there was no true menace in his s

ew of the wager. And

the edge of my consciousness. Elara,

nt by a young packmate

e effort of will, erected a wall of si

Elders stood before the hearth, their forms casting long, wavering shadows. They were wolves of gr

a shield for my senses against the crushing authority of the Elders. Today, he sat one row

ed no pr

grew thin in my lungs under the sheer w

ching sound across the polished wood of the desk to Seraphina. She read his words, and a small, private giggle escap

alled out. "Inform the assembly of the

Borders are the lifeblood of the pack, protecting our resources an

mmended, a rare smile gra

harp gaze f

rength. Elara, you have had the future Alpha's tutelage for years, and yet you show no progress. You cannot shift. You cannot

sive laughter moved

t up my neck, bu

o offer my throat in submission to the humiliatio

Alpha's Command would have silenced the room in a heartbeat. H

dge of his desk. His gaze was fixed upon the motes of dust dancing in a stra

er voice loud enough to carry.

sigh escaped

uttered, forcing a hollow chuc

n laugh, felt like a stone

the warm, metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. With a will I did not kn

shifted-not my wolf, but something deepe

back of Kaelen's head, vowing that my t