Alpha Bladen POV
Callum arrived before noon with Silverstone crested banners from the eastern ridge long before the soldiers themselves came into view.
They looked nothing like a pack marching toward war. Their wolves were well fed, cloaks clean, armor intact, expressions calm. It was the kind of sight that stirred both relief and shame in my chest.
Bloodmoon had not looked like that in weeks.
The gates opened without ceremony. No horns. No announcements. Just the quiet efficiency of a pack that understood discretion.
Viana was already moving when they crossed the inner courtyard. She spoke to the gossip hungry servants first, then to the wedding staff, her voice low but firm, planting the rumor carefully like a seed in fertile soil.
"Silverstone was here for the wedding. A show of
