Damien's POV
The response from the Eastern Territory arrived faster than I'd expected, and considerably colder.
I read it twice in my study before calling Lucas and Marcus in to hear it directly.
"Alpha Kane requests an audience within the fortnight," I said. "Not a request, reading between the lines. A demand dressed in diplomatic language."
Lucas frowned. "That's unusually fast for a formal Territory summons."
"Which means he's already decided what he wants from it," Marcus said grimly. "Speed like that isn't curiosity. It's leverage."
I set the letter down. "He wants Riven handed over, or some equivalent restitution severe enough to satisfy the packs under his protection who lost people to the Shadow Pack's raids."
"You won't give him Riven," Lucas said. Not a question.
"No," I
