Loud roars filled the air as the tension finally snapped, rippling through the pack. Wolves began to shift, their anger feeding off our fight. The ceremony was forgotten, swallowed by chaos.
Council members scrambled, trying to regain control, but emotions ran high. More wolves transformed, unable to contain the beast within.
“Freya, you’re making a scene again!” Selene’s voice appeared, dripping with annoyance.
I turned, a smirk curling on my lips. “Oh, look who decided to show up. The whore herself.”
Her eyes narrowed, teeth grinding. “Watch your mouth,” she spat.
“Awfully proud of yourself, aren’t you, Selene?” I taunted. “Does your mate know what you’ve been up to behind his back, hmm?”
She flinched, fury flashing in her eyes. The tension between us crackled like electricity, drawing the crowd’s attention.
Suddenly, a sharp pulse of energy could be felt, coming from the sentinel station. A signal. An approaching pack. The atmosphere shifted in an instant—wolves on high alert.
Selene’s smirk faded as a chill ran down her spine. She turned just as a tall figure emerged from the shadows—Lucian, her mate. His piercing eyes locked onto hers.
“It’s been a while, Selene,” he said, his voice dark and steady.
The Crimson and Wolfshade Packs had always shared a deep bond—years of alliance, built on trust and strength. But that bond was crumbling before my eyes. Selene's betrayal sparked a fury in Lucian Silverfang, Alpha of the Crimson Pack, unlike anything I had ever seen.
"I had no choice," Selene had said, her voice strained as she faced Lucian. "I needed to secure an heir before the next full moon."
Lucian's expression was cold, his jaw clenched. “An heir?” His voice was low, dangerous. “And you thought betraying me was the way to do that?”
“He's always gone, Freya!” Selene had told me, trying to justify her actions. "He’s been away in the East, securing alliances while leaving our bond to wither!"
But now, in front of Lucian, all her excuses fell apart. His anger was palpable, radiating from him like a storm ready to break. He had all but neglected their bond, but he expected her to wait. And she hadn’t.
Thorne stepped in, trying to reason with him. "Lucian, we’re allies. You know I was only trying to help.”
Lucian’s glare silenced him.
"Help? That's nonsense!" he growled. “You shattered trust between our packs, Thorne. I don’t need that kind of help.”