The great hall of Blackpine Pack was built of stone and shadow, its walls humming with the memory of generations who had fought, ruled, and f****d within them. Tonight, the torches burned low, and the scent of pine sap and wet earth clung to the air after the late storm. The pack had dispersed hours ago, leaving silence where there had been howls and shouts, but three wolves had not left.
Selene sat on the throne carved from a single block of dark oak, her legs crossed, her posture regal but coiled with power. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, catching the firelight, her lips pressed into the kind of line that made men hesitate. She had been Alpha for six months, and already her dominance had reshaped the entire territory. Stronger wolves bent their knees without question. Weaker
