The grand halls of the Alpha King’s fortress were a world away from the forests of the Northern Pack. Marble pillars rose to the ceiling, etched with ancient wolf sigils, their surfaces shimmering in torchlight. The air was heavy with the musk of dominance; Alphas from every corner of the realm had gathered, their scents a mixture of authority, suspicion, and rivalry.
Lucian sat at the long stone table among them, his posture commanding but his mind elsewhere. For days he had been here, engaged in endless discussions with the Alpha King and the council about rogue incursions, shifting borders, and fragile alliances. Yet no matter how important the matters, a piece of him remained tethered to the Northern Forest, to the pack he had left in Darius’ charge… and to Lyra.
Every night, when si
