The summons came at dawn.
Not a request. Not an invitation.
A command.
The guards didn't meet my eyes as they escorted me through the waking pack grounds. Wolves paused mid-step as we passed, conversations dying instantly. Fear clung to the air—sharp, unsettled, alive.
Astraea remained steady within me, her presence firm and grounded.
They have chosen spectacle, she said calmly. Spectacle is a weapon.
The council platform stood crowded when we arrived. Elders in ceremonial robes lined the outer ring, their expressions grim. Pack members gathered beyond them, curiosity outweighing caution.
And at the center—
Lyris.
She stood radiant in white, posture flawless, chin lifted with practiced humility. If I hadn't learned better, I might have believed she was here for peace.
The Alpha was already seated, his expression unreadable.
"This assembly will come to order," he announced. "You were summoned because concerns have been raised regarding the stability of the bond."
Lyris bowed gracefully. "With respect, Alpha, this is not about accusation. It is about prevention."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.
My jaw tightened.
"Speak," the Alpha allowed.
Lyris turned toward the pack. "We all felt the disturbance two nights ago. The dream-bond. The power surge. Wolves lost control. Children woke screaming."
Her gaze slid to me—cool, deliberate.
"No single wolf should hold that much unchecked influence," she continued. "Especially one whose bond remains unresolved."
The crowd stirred uneasily.
"This is not your place," I said sharply.
She smiled faintly. "On the contrary. It is precisely my place."
She lifted her hand.
Two wolves stepped forward from the crowd—young, shaken, eyes rimmed with exhaustion.
"Tell them," Lyris urged gently.
The first swallowed hard. "Since the bond awakened… I haven't slept. My wolf reacts whenever she's near."
The second nodded quickly. "Mine too. It's like something keeps pulling at us."
Astraea growled low.
They are sensitive, not bound, she said. She exaggerates the effect.
But exaggeration was enough.
The elders exchanged looks.
"This is manipulation," I said. "You're feeding their fear."
Lyris tilted her head. "Or acknowledging reality."
She turned back to the Alpha. "I formally request a containment trial."
The word slammed into the square like a blade.
Gasps followed.
My breath caught. "You said no claims would be made."
The Alpha's jaw tightened. "A containment trial is not a claim."
"It's a cage," I shot back.
Silence fell.
Astraea pressed closer, grounding me as tension surged through the bond. From somewhere beyond the crowd, I felt it—three distinct reactions flaring sharply.
Anger. Panic. Restraint cracking.
Lyris noticed too. Her eyes gleamed.
"See?" she said softly. "Even now, the bond responds."
The Alpha stood slowly.
"This trial would place her under magical restriction," he said. "Her power would be bound until stability is proven."
"And if it fails?" an elder asked.
Lyris didn't hesitate. "Severance."
The word echoed.
My chest tightened painfully. "That could kill me."
"Or save the pack," Lyris replied calmly.
Something snapped.
A pulse tore through me—sharp, instinctive, furious. The ground beneath the platform cracked with a dull, thunderous sound.
Gasps erupted.
Astraea surged fully awake.
Enough.
The power didn't explode—it focused.
I stepped forward, ignoring the guards' startled reactions. "You want proof I'm dangerous?" I said coldly. "Or proof you're afraid of losing control?"
The pack froze.
"You're not protecting them," I continued, eyes locked on Lyris. "You're protecting a hierarchy that doesn't survive choice."
Lyris's composure finally cracked. "You don't belong at the center of this pack!"
"Neither do lies," I shot back.
The Alpha raised his hand sharply, but it was too late.
The bond flared violently.
Three howls broke the air—raw, furious, unmistakable.
The crowd erupted.
"They broke containment!" someone shouted.
Movement surged as guards rushed forward. The Alpha's eyes widened—not in anger, but alarm.
"This assembly is dismissed!" he thundered.
Chaos followed.
As wolves scattered, Lyris stepped back, lips curving into a faint smile she thought no one saw.
She wanted this, Astraea said grimly. Uncontrolled reaction justifies force.
Guards seized my arms.
"Wait!" I shouted. "This is what she planned!"
But the Alpha's voice cut through everything.
"Take her to the Circle."
My blood ran cold.
The Circle wasn't containment.
It was judgment.
As they dragged me away, the bond screamed—three forces slamming against restraint, tearing at the edges of control.
Astraea steadied us, fierce and unyielding.
This is the moment, she said. Do not bend.
The gates of the Circle loomed ahead, ancient stones humming with dormant power.
Behind me, the pack whispered.
Ahead of me, fate waited—no longer patient.
And somewhere deep inside, I understood with chilling clarity:
Lyris hadn't tried to destroy me.
She'd tried to force my awakening.