By morning, everyone knew.
Whispers followed us through the compound like shadows that refused to detach. Wolves stopped talking when we passed. Some bowed their heads in respect. Others watched with thinly veiled resentment, their gazes sharp and unsettled.
Power always did this—it exposed what people really felt.
I could feel it through the bond too. Unease. Curiosity. Fear. Admiration twisted into envy.
"They're staring," Kael muttered beside me, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"Let them," Riven replied coldly. "They'll get used to it."
Solen said nothing, but his eyes tracked every movement, every murmur, his awareness stretched thin across the compound like a web.
Astraea stirred uneasily. This is the dangerous part. Not the Council. Not Lyris. But those who believe power should never shift.
We reached the council hall just as the Alpha summoned us inside.
The doors closed with a heavy thud, sealing us in with a dozen high-ranking pack members. The atmosphere was thick, charged with restrained aggression.
The Alpha stood at the head of the room, expression carved from stone. "What happened last night should not have happened."
Riven's jaw tightened. "With respect, Alpha, the bond isn't something we summoned for entertainment."
A murmur rippled through the room.
"Careful," one of the elders snapped. "Your tone forgets your place."
I felt the bond stir—but not spike. It steadied instead, anchoring us.
The Alpha's gaze shifted to me. "You are the center of this convergence."
I met his eyes evenly. "I didn't ask for it."
"That may be," he replied, "but you are now the cause of unrest within this pack."
Kael flinched. "That's not fair—"
"It is reality," the Alpha cut in sharply. "Already, wolves question whether the heirs can rule independently when bound like this."
Solen spoke calmly. "Unity is not weakness."
One of the elders laughed bitterly. "Tell that to history."
The bond tightened—not in anger, but resolve.
I stepped forward before anyone could stop me. "This pack has thrived on dominance and fear for generations. Maybe that's why it keeps tearing itself apart."
Silence slammed down hard.
Riven's eyes widened slightly. Kael looked at me with something like awe mixed with panic.
The Alpha's expression darkened. "You tread dangerously close to defiance."
"I tread toward truth," I replied quietly. "The bond isn't destabilizing us. Your refusal to adapt is."
Astraea hummed. Good. They needed to hear that.
An elder stood abruptly. "She's manipulating them! This is how it starts—one voice twisting Alpha heirs against tradition."
The accusation struck deep—but the bond held firm.
Riven stepped beside me, power radiating but controlled. "Enough. None of you were there when the bond tried to tear us apart. None of you felt it settle. You're afraid because you weren't chosen."
Gasps echoed.
Kael swallowed, then straightened. "I spent years thinking strength meant standing alone. I was wrong."
Solen's voice was quiet but sharp. "And fear-based leadership always collapses eventually."
The Alpha studied us for a long moment. Something unreadable flickered across his face—anger, calculation… and something else.
Reluctant respect.
"You leave me little choice," he said finally. "The pack will watch you closely. Any sign of instability—"
"You'll act," I finished. "We understand."
The meeting ended without resolution, tension clinging to us as we exited the hall.
Outside, the sky was heavy with clouds, the air thick with anticipation.
Kael exhaled shakily. "That went… badly."
"No," Solen said. "That went honestly."
Riven looked at me, expression conflicted. "You challenged everything they believe in."
I met his gaze. "So did the bond."
The bond pulsed—steady, unyielding.
Before any of us could say more, a sharp ripple sliced through the connection—foreign, slick, familiar.
My breath hitched.
Lyris.
Her presence brushed against the bond like a blade testing armor.
Astraea's voice dropped to a whisper. She felt the resistance.
A soft laugh echoed through my mind—not audible, but unmistakable.
You're making enemies so quickly, Lyris purred. How delightful.
My fists clenched. Stay out of my head.
Oh, little anchor, she replied smoothly. Your head is exactly where the war begins.
The bond flared—defiant.
Riven stiffened. "She's near."
"No," I said, heart pounding. "She's closer than that."
The clouds overhead shifted unnaturally, moonlight bleeding through in thin silver streaks.
Kael swallowed hard. "Tell me we're ready."
I looked at the three of them—no longer just heirs, no longer just mates, but something forged in pressure and truth.
"We're not," I said honestly.
The bond tightened, fierce and unified.
"But we're not breaking either."
And somewhere in the pack, someone was already choosing sides.