MARGARET
I raised my chin high as I stood before the towering black gates of the Dark Crest Pack. The air smelled like pine and wet soil, and the cold wind brushed through my long coat. But I didn’t care. I was Margaret, daughter of Alpha Victor of the Golden Claws Pack. Everyone knew our name. Everyone respected it. And everyone feared it.
Well, at least they should.
I stepped forward and knocked hard on the steel gate, my boots crunching against the gravel. It was early morning, and the sun was still hiding behind the hills. But I didn’t want to wait. I had come all the way here with purpose.
A few seconds later, two tall guards appeared on the other side of the gate. Their expressions were serious. No smile. No panic. Just calm and alert. That made my eyebrow twitch. I expected a
