The white-golden wolf

The Council of Alphas - Part one

Morning arrived beneath a grey sky.

Rain tapped steadily against my bedroom window, soft enough that under different circumstances I might have found it comforting.

Today, it only made the house feel too quiet.

I hadn't slept well.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw amber eyes staring at me from between the trees.

The wolf hadn't attacked.

Hadn't growled.

Hadn't even crossed into the garden.

Somehow, that made it worse.

It had simply stood there.

Watching.

As if confirming something.

As if confirming me.

Then there was Mary.

If one of them has found you...

I'd replayed those words until nearly three in the morning.

One of who?

I'd asked.

She hadn't answered.

Instead, she'd told me we would talk tomorrow.

Well.

Tomorrow had arrived.

And judging by the silence coming from downstairs, I had a feeling Mary was going to regret that promise.

I stood in front of the mirror and buttoned my blouse.

My reflection looked exactly how I felt.

Terrible.

Dark circles shadowed my eyes.

My hair refused to cooperate.

Even my usual attempt at looking professionally composed wasn't convincing.

"You look exhausted," I muttered.

"You are exhausted," Clarissa replied.

"Helpful."

"It's one of my many talents."

I gave my reflection a tired look.

"Any other observations?"

"Your hair looks angry."

"My hair is not angry."

"It's definitely considering violence."

Despite myself, I smiled.

"Thank you."

"Always."

I reached for the silver pendant lying on my dresser.

The moment my fingers touched it, the smile vanished.

Cold.

Just silver.

Nothing unusual.

I lifted it towards the light.

I'd examined the pendant hundreds of times over the years.

A crescent moon surrounded by delicate markings I had always assumed were decorative.

This morning, I looked more closely.

They weren't random.

Tiny lines curved around the edge of the moon.

Almost like writing.

Or symbols.

Why had I never noticed that before?

"Clarissa?"

"I see them."

"Do they mean anything to you?"

"No."

I traced one with my thumb.

Nothing happened.

No heat.

No strange visions.

No answers.

Just the only thing my parents had left me.

I fastened the chain around my neck.

Then tucked the pendant beneath my blouse.

Mary's warning returned immediately.

Keep that hidden.

Fine.

I would.

But tonight, she was going to explain why.

Downstairs, the smell of coffee and toasted bread greeted me.

Mary stood at the stove humming softly.

Too softly.

Too casually.

Kevin sat at the table, absorbed in his phone.

Neither looked as though a giant unknown wolf had appeared outside our house last night.

I stopped in the doorway.

"Morning."

Kevin didn't look up.

"Morning."

Mary glanced over her shoulder.

"Coffee's fresh."

"Thanks."

I sat down.

Silence.

Mary moved a pan.

Kevin scrolled through his phone.

I waited.

Nothing.

Clarissa sighed.

"She's avoiding it."

"I noticed."

I reached for the coffee.

"So."

Mary's shoulders stiffened.

Interesting.

"About last night."

Kevin finally looked up.

"What happened last night?"

Mary turned around.

"Nothing."

I stared at her.

"Nothing?"

Her eyes pleaded with me.

Not here.

Not in front of Kevin.

That only created more questions.

Kevin glanced between us.

"Why do I feel like I've missed something?"

"You usually do," I said.

He looked offended.

"I am extremely observant."

"You wore your shirt inside out for half of Sunday."

"That was intentional."

"It had the washing instructions hanging from your shoulder."

"A fashion statement."

Clarissa laughed.

Mary used the distraction to place a plate of toast in front of me.

Coward.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

She gave me a tiny smile.

Later.

Fine.

Later.

Kevin returned his attention to his phone.

"Apparently the whole town's talking about yesterday."

I buttered a piece of toast.

"What happened yesterday?"

He looked at me.

"Seriously?"

"I was working."

"The Alphas arrived."

My hand slowed.

Mary's gaze flicked towards me.

Kevin continued.

"There are expensive SUVs everywhere. Half the hotels are booked, and security around Blackwood Enterprises has doubled."

I frowned.

"So they're staying?"

"For a few days, apparently."

"Why?"

Kevin shrugged.

"Council business."

Mary turned too quickly towards the stove.

Another tiny reaction.

Another thing I filed away.

"You know something," I said.

Kevin blinked.

"Me?"

"Not you."

"Oh."

He went back to his phone.

Mary sighed.

"Lara."

"What?"

"You promised," Clarissa reminded me.

Technically, Mary had promised.

I hadn't.

But I didn't want this conversation with Kevin sitting three feet away.

So I took another sip of coffee.

Mary glanced at me over her mug.

"You look worried."

"I'm just tired."

She gave me a knowing look.

For once, she didn't call me out on the lie.

That worried me more.

The atmosphere at Blackwood Enterprises had changed completely by the time I arrived.

Security officers stood at every entrance.

Not the usual building guards.

Wolves.

I could smell them before I reached the doors.

Several wore ordinary dark suits, but there was no hiding what they were. Their posture was too alert, their eyes constantly moving.

One checked my identification before allowing me through.

I'd worked here for four years.

No one had ever checked my identification at the front entrance.

"Well," Clarissa murmured.

"This is comforting."

"You mean concerning."

"Same thing today."

The lobby buzzed with whispered conversations.

Employees gathered in small groups before immediately separating whenever senior management passed.

Even the usually cheerful receptionist looked nervous.

Sarah appeared beside me before I'd made it halfway towards the lifts.

"Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

She stared at me.

"How do you consistently know nothing about what's happening in the building where you work?"

"It's a gift."

She leaned closer.

"The Council of Alphas is meeting here today."

I stopped.

"Here?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Top floor."

"Why?"

"No idea."

"That's reassuring."

"I know."

She lowered her voice further.

"Apparently Richard called the meeting personally."

That caught my attention.

Richard didn't call regional council meetings casually.

Council meetings were rare.

At least, they had been when I was younger.

Several Alphas gathering in one territory usually meant one of three things.

A serious dispute.

A major threat.

Or war.

My stomach tightened.

"Clarissa?"

"I'm listening."

"Could this have anything to do with last night?"

A pause.

"I hope not."

Neither have we, she whispered.

I stepped into the elevator beside Sarah.

"You're being weird again," she said.

"That's becoming a very common accusation."

"Because it's becoming a very common problem."

The doors closed.

The executive floor was controlled chaos.

Assistants hurried between offices carrying folders.

Conference rooms had been prepared with meticulous care.

Fresh flowers decorated the hallways.

Coffee stations had been placed discreetly near the main council room.

Everything looked polished.

Professional.

Normal.

Except for the wolves stationed at every entrance.

I had barely reached my desk when Richard's assistant approached.

"Miss Moon?"

I looked up.

"Yes?"

"Mr Blackwood would appreciate your help in the council conference room."

My stomach dropped.

"My help?"

"Administrative support. Documents, refreshments, meeting materials."

"Oh."

Clarissa immediately became suspicious.

"Why us?"

"I don't know."

"You work in administration," I reminded her.

"Still suspicious."

I smiled politely at the assistant.

"Of course."

She handed me several folders.

"The delegates will arrive shortly."

Delegates.

Wonderful.

I followed her towards the private lift.

The doors opened.

My reflection stared back at me from the polished metal.

For some reason, I touched my pendant.

Hidden.

Safe.

Then the lift carried me upwards.

The council conference room occupied most of the top floor.

I'd never been inside before.

A long oak table dominated the centre, surrounded by high-backed chairs.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city.

Beyond it, the forests stretched towards distant mountains beneath the grey morning sky.

Each seat had been prepared with a leather folder, water glass and handwritten name card.

I started arranging the remaining documents.

"Alpha Nightshade."

My hand stopped.

His name was printed on the card directly across from where I'd been asked to sit during administrative portions of the meeting.

Of course it was.

Clarissa perked up.

"Fate."

"Bad luck."

"Fate."

"Furniture arrangement."

"Keep telling yourself that."

I placed his folder down.

The doors opened.

Richard entered first.

The room changed with him.

Not because he was particularly intimidating.

Richard had always been different from the Alphas I remembered from childhood.

But today he wasn't my employer.

He was Alpha Richard Blackwood.

And the distinction was obvious.

His posture was straighter.

His expression harder.

Power rested around him like an invisible mantle.

Behind him came Elias.

Then Finn.

Then Kael.

My pulse reacted instantly.

Traitorous thing.

Kael wore a black suit today.

No tie.

His dark hair was slightly damp from the rain.

His eyes found me almost immediately.

For one second, neither of us moved.

Professional.

Polite.

Nothing more.

At least outwardly.

Clarissa stretched happily inside me.

"Mate."

"I know."

"He's looking at us."

"He isn't."

"He absolutely is."

I reached for another folder.

Unfortunately, I dropped it.

Papers scattered across the table.

Clarissa went silent.

I closed my eyes.

"Don't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You're laughing."

"Internally."

I gathered the papers.

When I looked up, Kael had taken his seat.

There was unmistakable amusement in his eyes.

I glared at him.

His mouth twitched.

Wonderful.

One by one, the remaining Alphas arrived.

Alpha Marcus Vale of Silvercrest.

Older.

Broad.

A scar running from his temple to his jaw.

Alpha Celeste Arden of Frost Hollow.

Elegant and composed, with sharp green eyes that seemed to catalogue every person in the room.

Alpha Tobias Reed of Red River.

Young for an Alpha.

Probably no older than thirty.

Two others I recognised only by reputation.

Every arrival changed the energy in the room.

Power gathered.

Not visible.

But unmistakable.

Clarissa became unusually quiet.

Wolf hierarchy wasn't something anyone needed to explain.

You felt it.

Six Alphas in one room created enough pressure to make the air seem heavier.

Yet Kael remained different.

He wasn't the loudest.

Wasn't the oldest.

Didn't attempt to dominate the conversation.

Still, when he spoke quietly to Elias, two other Alphas glanced towards him.

Respect.

Or caution.

Perhaps both.

Richard took his seat at the head of the table.

The doors closed.

Two guards remained outside.

The meeting began.

"Thank you all for coming on short notice."

His calm voice filled the room.

"Our region has enjoyed peace for many years."

Nobody moved.

Richard folded his hands on the table.

"But recent reports suggest that someone has been moving through our territories unnoticed."

The room grew still.

Alpha Vale frowned.

"Rogues?"

"We thought so initially."

Richard looked towards Kael.

Kael leaned slightly forwards.

"My patrols discovered three abandoned camps near Shadowfang's northern border."

"How recent?" Celeste asked.

"One less than forty-eight hours old."

"And you found no scent trail?"

"Several."

Kael's expression hardened.

"All deliberately obscured."

That caused a reaction.

Small.

But immediate.

The Alphas exchanged glances.

Alpha Reed spoke.

"Rogues don't erase their trails that thoroughly."

"No," Elias said from behind Kael.

"They don't."

Celeste tapped one finger against the table.

"Numbers?"

"We estimate at least twelve."

My hand stopped over my notes.

Twelve.

That wasn't a wandering rogue.

That was a group.

Organised.

Another Alpha leaned back.

"We've experienced similar disturbances near our eastern territory."

Richard looked towards him.

"When?"

"Over the past month."

Alpha Vale frowned.

"You didn't report it?"

"We had no attacks."

"Neither did we," another Alpha said.

"But someone has been watching our patrol routes."

Watching.

The word landed like a stone in my stomach.

Amber eyes appeared in my mind.

My fingers tightened around the pen.

Clarissa stirred.

"Lara."

"I know."

I forced myself to continue taking notes.

This had nothing to do with me.

It couldn't.

Entire packs were involved.

Borders.

Patrols.

Organised movement.

My encounter with one strange wolf didn't make me the centre of some regional conspiracy.

Except someone had photographed me five years ago.

Except I didn't know that yet.

Except Mary had recognised the wolf.

Except someone had followed me home.

I swallowed.

Focus.

Richard continued.

"Nothing has been stolen. No territory formally breached. No challenges issued."

"Then what's their purpose?" Reed asked.

Kael's gaze moved towards the windows.

"Information."

Celeste looked at him.

"You believe they're scouting us."

"I believe they're looking for something."

Silence.

"Or someone," Elias added.

My heart skipped.

For no reason.

Absolutely no reason.

I looked down at my notes.

Then Kael spoke.

"We also recovered this."

He reached into his jacket.

Something small landed on the table with a quiet metallic sound.

My entire body went cold.

Silver.

A crescent moon.

No larger than a coin.

The pendant lay in the centre of the table beneath the bright conference-room lights.

For several seconds, I forgot how to breathe.

My hand moved instinctively towards my chest.

Towards the pendant hidden beneath my blouse.

Clarissa gasped.

"Lara."

"I know."

The design wasn't merely similar.

It was almost identical.

Same crescent.

Same tiny markings around the edge.

Same unusual curve at the bottom.

My pulse thundered.

Where had they found it?

Who had been wearing it?

Why did I have one?

Kael was speaking, but I barely heard him.

"It was buried beneath one of the northern camps."

Alpha Vale picked it up.

His expression changed.

"Where exactly?"

Kael named a location.

Vale looked towards Celeste.

She'd gone very still.

Richard noticed.

"You recognise it."

It wasn't a question.

Celeste hesitated.

"No."

Vale looked at her.

"Celeste."

"I said no."

Something passed between them.

Old knowledge.

Old fear.

My mouth went dry.

Someone in this room knew what that symbol meant.

Maybe more than one person.

Clarissa whispered.

"Ask."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I'm supposed to be invisible."

Across the table, Kael looked at me.

Our eyes met.

His gaze dropped briefly.

To my hand.

Still pressed against the pendant beneath my blouse.

Damn it.

I lowered it immediately.

Too late.

He'd seen.

And judging by the sudden sharpness in his expression—

he'd understood.

Not everything.

But enough.

Kael reached for the pendant on the table.

"We'll investigate its origin."

Celeste stood abruptly.

"I have another appointment."

Richard frowned.

"The meeting isn't finished."

"I've heard enough."

She gathered her papers.

As she passed me, her gaze landed on my face.

Then lowered.

For half a second, it stopped at my collar.

My pendant was hidden.

Completely.

There was no way she could see it.

Yet the colour drained from her face.

She looked into my eyes.

Not curiosity.

Shock.

Then fear.

She walked out without another word.

Clarissa went very still.

"She knows."

Yes.

She did.