I sat across from Beta John in the strategy room, my fingers drumming against the polished oak table. Stanley and Lily flanked him on either side, their expressions smug as always. The morning light filtered through the tall windows, casting shadows across the stone walls of the royal manor.
"So, have you all prepared for the tribute contest?" Beta John asked, his sharp gaze moving between the three of us.
I straightened in my chair. "What is the theme?"
The room fell silent. Stanley and Lily exchanged quick glances, and I caught the flash of panic in their eyes before they masked it with irritation.
"The theme?" Lily scoffed, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder. "What are you trying to prove by asking that? Look, Aurora, we have been serving this pack long before you arrived. You should learn your place and stay quiet when your superiors are speaking."
My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless at the disrespect. I kept my voice steady and cold. "Excuse me, Lily. I may be new to the royal pack, but I was chief designer in my former territory. I know my work. How can any of us enter a contest against other skilled wolves when we do not even know what we are designing for? There are different designs for different purposes and occasions. What am I creating? What is the purpose? What draft should I present to the Beta? This is a contest. If you did not think to ask, that is unfortunate for you, but do not silence me again. I am not beneath you."
Beta John's lips curved into a smile. I saw approval flash in his golden eyes. "Love and appreciation," he said, his deep voice filling the room. "The designs must accompany a painting. You will create something that tells a story, something meaningful for the Elder Luna. The painting and design must work together as one tribute."
I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief moment. An idea sparked in my mind, clear and vivid. I pulled out my phone and quickly typed notes into it, my fingers flying across the screen.
The door opened, and the air in the room shifted. I did not need to look up to know Alpha King Jack had entered. His presence always announced itself, a raw power that made my wolf respond instinctively.
"Beta John," Jack said, his commanding voice brooking no argument. "Have each designer submit their drafts to you separately. Not together."
I glanced up at him. His dark eyes met mine for just a second before moving to Stanley and Lily. He knew. He understood they would try to sabotage my work if given the chance.
"Of course, Alpha King," Beta John replied.
Jack moved to stand at the head of the table, his tall frame imposing. "I want you all to work as a unified pack toward the glory of our kingdom. No one here is fighting for individual supremacy. We work toward a common goal. The success of the royal pack is success for all of us. Put everything you have into this tribute. I want the golden medal. Nothing less will be acceptable."
His words hung in the air like a command from the Moon Goddess herself. When he and Beta John left the room, I stood to follow, but Stanley's voice stopped me.
"Look, I know you have a talent for making yourself look good in front of our superiors." His lips curled into a sneer. "Do not mess with me. I am not Ryan. I am Stanley. If you think you can push me aside and take the head position, I will crush you." He squeezed his fist in the air, demonstrating his threat.
Lily crossed her arms. "Whatever draft you create, you will show it to us first before taking it to the Beta. Do not try to be clever. We are your seniors, and you will follow our lead. Is that clear?"
I laughed, the sound sharp and bitter. Without another word, I turned and walked out, leaving them standing there with their empty threats. My wolf wanted to show them exactly what I thought of their hierarchy, but I had more important things to focus on.
Back at my workspace, I heard their voices echoing from the strategy room.
"She showed her true nature so quickly," Lily hissed to Ryan, who had slipped in after I left. "Such an attention-seeking wolf, always trying to impress the Beta and the Alpha King."
"I warned you," Ryan said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "You have seen it now. She never changes."
"I will not let her destroy my position here," Stanley growled. "You were weak, Ryan. That is why she succeeded against you. But I will break her. I will make her regret ever stepping foot in this kingdom."
"My weakness was showing her kindness," Ryan replied, playing the victim perfectly. "I suspect she is having an affair with the Beta. Why else would he always defend her?"
"Probably," Lily agreed, her voice full of venom. "The way he looked at her in that meeting, they likely spent the entire night together."
I blocked out their poison and focused on my work. Two days passed in a blur of sketches and revisions.
The morning of Lord Adrian's dinner party arrived. When I woke, Jack had already gone to train with his warriors. I showered and dressed, then decided I needed to retrieve some items from the apartment Ethan had arranged for me.
I found Jack in the training grounds, his muscles gleaming with sweat as he sparred with his Beta. "I need to go to the apartment to get my things," I told him.
He stopped mid-movement, catching his breath. "I will send someone tomorrow. Today, I am taking you shopping."
Meanwhile, across the kingdom in Lord Adrian Delmark's grand estate, preparations were in full swing. His younger brother, Derick, had just arrived. The manor bustled with activity as servants prepared for the dinner where Adrian would publicly announce his intention to run for the High Council position.
"Good to see you again, brother," Adrian said, embracing Derick at the entrance. His mate, Jane, stood beside him, her smile warm.
"You are as lovely as ever," Derick told Jane, glancing around at the decorators transforming the great hall.
"Thank you," Jane replied before excusing herself to oversee the preparations.
Adrian and Derick settled at the dining table with coffee. Derick scanned the room. "Where is Richard?"
"Probably handling pack business. He will arrive soon," Adrian answered.
Derick nodded, then his expression turned curious. "Where is your daughter?"
Adrian laughed. "Daughter? Richard is our only child. Perhaps your memory is failing you, brother."
"Do not tell me you still have not acknowledged her." Derick's voice rose in alarm. "After all these years, even after Susan's death?"
Adrian's smile vanished. "Acknowledge who?"
"Your daughter with Susan. Did you not know she had your child?"
The coffee glass slipped from Adrian's hand. It shattered against the floor, the sound impossibly loud in the sudden silence.
"Susan had my daughter?"