Veronica POV
It had been a long day. Veronica slumped back in her chair, the polished oak table now littered with empty coffee cups, stacks of parchment, and ink smudges staining her fingers. Alliance agreements had been discussed, amended, and signed until her brain felt like it was running on fumes.
Brax sat beside her, calm and steady through it all, occasionally cutting in to smooth over tense moments or nudge an Alpha toward a better deal. By the time the last handshake was exchanged and the door shut, Veronica’s jaw ached from smiling so much.
But during the meetings, her mind had drifted to her own situation—to the pack, to the people who lived here.
And she’d realized something important. For the first time ever, she’d been building something she could be proud of. Creating a s
