The following morning dawned cold and gray. A thin mist hung over the forest, curling around the mansion's gates as the Blizzard Pack's carriages rolled in. The air was thick with tension—guards lined the courtyard, and pack members gathered at a distance, whispering about the famous Alpha Ryan.
Nicholas stood at the entrance, his expression carefully neutral. He had spent half the night preparing, determined to present himself as a confident leader. But inside, unease gnawed at him. The last thing he wanted was another Alpha—especially one as powerful as Ryan—seeing the cracks in his authority.
When Ryan stepped out of his carriage, the entire courtyard seemed to still. He wore a dark coat trimmed with silver, his posture straight and commanding. His presence alone was enough to make ev
