The Letter
The letter arrived on a quiet Tuesday morning, carried by a neutral messenger who waited at the border until Ronan’s patrol confirmed safe passage. It was handed to Ronan in the study while Lila was still finishing a training session with Talia. By the time she returned to the pack house, showered and changed, the heavy envelope with the Blackwood crest was already sitting on the desk between them.
Ronan did not open it immediately. He waited until she had closed the study door and taken the chair across from him.
“From Marcus,” he said. “Formal. Addressed to both of us, but the content is primarily for you.”
Lila looked at the seal. The last time she had seen that crest on official correspondence had been the challenge letter that forced the confrontation on neutral ground.
