The elders did not wait for the full two weeks.
By the next afternoon, word had already moved through the territory: a formal gathering would be held that evening at the main pack hall. Attendance was expected. The future Alpha’s claim would be addressed publicly, under elder supervision, before the unrest in the younger ranks and ranking families could grow any sharper.
Tristan received the message during lunch. He read it once, jaw tightening, then handed his phone to me without a word. The official language was polite. The meaning underneath it was not. They were done observing in private. They wanted the pack to watch us stand in the open and either hold or break.
“Tonight,” I said quietly.
“Tonight.” His eyes met mine across the table. Gold already lingered at the edges. “Are you
