Felix’s POV
A diplomatic visit to Sterling Pack should have been nothing more than a symbolic gesture, a step toward friendly relations. My composure, etiquette, and courteous banter were flawless, all perfectly mimicked. I knew I needed to secure Blackwood’s currently fragile position. Sterling’s Alpha, Alaric, was impeccably measured in his attitude, and I responded in kind. We were both wary, but neither revealed any sharpness—this façade of peace was crucial to both sides.
Until that moment.
I followed Alaric through an arched corridor. Just as I hesitated, considering whether to suggest a short break in the garden, a clear, bright laugh suddenly reached my ears.
Every fiber of my being instinctively caught something unusual in that laughter—unrestrained, neither fearful nor ingrat
