The old Alpha made his play at dawn.
He called a summit—every pack leader in the city summoned to neutral ground beneath an unfinished skyscraper. Concrete pillars. Open sky. No territory to hide behind.
Ari stood at the center.
“You’re breaking the old laws,” the old Alpha said calmly. “No claim. No hierarchy. Chaos.”
“Or evolution,” Ari replied.
Murmurs rippled through the gathered wolves.
“You’re a risk,” he continued. “And risks must be controlled.”
“I’m done being controlled.”
His eyes softened. “Then kill me.”
Shock tore through the circle.
Dante snarled. “This is a trap.”
“Everything is,” the old Alpha said. “Including power.”
Ari stepped forward, heart pounding. “I won’t kill you.”
“Then you admit weakness.”
She met his gaze steadily. “No. I choose mercy.”
The city a
