Chapter 5 the council Floor
951 Words
The great hall of Silver Moon Palace buzzed with activity long before sunrise. Elders murmured behind thick scrolls, council scribes arranged stone-carved seats in perfect symmetry, and the banners of the four allied packs hung proudly from the arched ceilings.
Araya adjusted her cloak, hands hidden beneath the fabric to still her trembling fingers. Her stomach felt tight—not from hunger, but from nerves. And perhaps something more. A flutter. A shift. The quiet presence that had not left her since the healer’s words: You’re pregnant.
She tried to breathe. Deeply. Calmly. But it was difficult with the weight of the palace pressing in around her.
Today, she would stand before the council.
And present her account of the island Gathering.
The very place she had lost herself.
The very place she had unknowingly mated with the father of her unborn child.
Her name echoed through the corridor: “Araya of Silver Moon.”
She stepped forward into the center of the council floor, where the circular stage sat beneath the painted dome. Twelve high-ranking wolves—Alphas, Betas, and elders—watched from raised stone seats. Her father sat among them, hands steepled, his expression unreadable.
The High Scribe, Master Ulrich, stood to her right.
“State your name and title for the record,” he said.
“Araya, daughter of Beta Darion, representative of Silver Moon at the 92nd Interpack Gathering on the Sacred Isle.”
Her voice was steady.
Ulrich nodded. “Proceed with your presentation.”
Araya unrolled the scroll she had prepared the night before. Her fingers brushed the parchment like armor, holding her together.
“The Gathering began on the third night of the Blood Moon,” she said. “Each major pack sent a lead Alpha or emissary. I represented Silver Moon in both the diplomatic and economic assemblies. Topics covered included trade security, territorial border protections, and formal alliance charters for eastern expansion.”
She paused, scanning the faces before her. No one looked particularly warm.
Except one elder—Lady Myra—who gave her a brief, approving nod.
“In the first session, Alpha Tormin of Black Ridge questioned our proposed southern trade route. I defended its merit based on Silver Moon’s low border incident rates and offered exclusive access to our Moonshade silver mine in exchange.”
A few council members scribbled notes.
Her father did not move.
“In the defense talks, Hollow Pack and Thorns Alliance both approved our proposal to rotate watch patrols along the Ridge Border. I signed the preliminary accord on behalf of our pack. All documentation was notarized by the neutral envoy.”
Another pause. She breathed slowly through her nose. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears.
“One Alpha abstained from voting. I believe his motivations were political, not personal.”
A few heads lifted at that.
“And who was this Alpha?” Ulrich asked.
Araya’s spine stiffened. She kept her expression neutral.
“He wore no crest,” she said. “He stood apart from the circle. But he observed closely.”
Ulrich frowned. “A rogue Alpha?”
“I don’t believe so.”
Darion’s voice interrupted. “Did he speak with you?”
She hesitated. Just slightly.
“No,” she lied. “Not formally.”
Her father stared at her, his gaze cool as ice. But he didn’t press.
Ulrich made a note. “Continue.”
Araya wrapped the scroll slowly, placing it on the marble podium. “In conclusion, Silver Moon strengthened three alliances, protected our economic interests, and laid the groundwork for future council leadership.”
A soft murmur of approval rippled through the hall.
“Questions?” Ulrich asked.
Lady Myra raised her hand. “Was there any challenge to your authority as a female representative?”
Araya met her gaze. “There were whispers. But no one dared speak them aloud.”
That earned a few approving chuckles.
Another elder, Councilman Jarek, leaned forward. “And no tensions outside the chamber? No… unusual behavior among the Alphas?”
Araya kept her hands tightly folded.
“None worth reporting.”
Jarek studied her. “Very well.”
The High Scribe closed the ledger. “Let it be recorded that Araya of Silver Moon acted in accordance with tradition and honor. Her negotiations reflect strongly on the pack’s growing diplomatic strength.”
A round of light applause followed.
She bowed low, then turned to leave.
But as she stepped past her father’s seat, his voice stopped her cold.
“We’ll speak privately later.”
Her stomach twisted. “Yes, Father.”
---
She walked quickly out of the chamber, the sound of her boots echoing against the stone. Her pulse still hadn’t slowed by the time she reached the outer courtyard.
The baby fluttered again.
She held her belly, just lightly.
She had done it. She had stood before the elders and said what needed to be said. She had kept her secret buried beneath layers of words and poise.
But how long could she keep the truth hidden?
How long before the Moon forced her secret into the light?
As she looked up at the sky, a single snowflake drifted down and landed on her cheek.
She didn’t brush it away.
Instead, she whispered to the child inside her:
“We survived today. But the real storm is coming.”
She turned, the cold curling around her like a second skin. The wind howled low across the mountains beyond Silver Moon’s gates, and in the distance, dark clouds gathered over the horizon.
Thunder without sound.
A warning only a mother could feel.
The past wasn’t finished with her.
And the future… was already moving.
- Writer
