Emma's Pov

　　In the following days, my inner circle and I scrutinized all the alliances we had so far. Expectations and tension swirled in the air like a charged cloud, ready to burst at any moment. Every decision, every alliance, could mean the difference between peace and war.

　　"We have the Night Howlers Pack as one of the largest wolf packs," Kylian notes as he writes the name of Matthew's pack on the board we set up in the meeting room. Kylian's handwriting is firm and legible. "Associated with it is the Direwolf Pack. On the other hand, both are against the Moonshadow Pack, and I believe we are too?" Kylian asks uncertainly, his dark eyes reflecting the soft light of the room. His brown skin shines with mastery.

　　I'm seated in the chair at the head of the round table, watching Kylian make the notes on the board before us. The meeting room is spacious, with comfortable chairs and sofas along two walls, as well as a beautiful wooden bookshelf that rises majestically. The walls are a deep wine red, adding a touch of warmth and passion, fulfilling Amelia's constant request for a red room in the packhouse. This color gives the meeting room a cozy atmosphere, but also a bit of vibrancy and intensity, as if each wall were painted with our own desires and emotions.

　　Moonshadow Pack, my former wolf pack. The name echoes in my mind with a distant echo, a shadow of what once mattered in my life. I have no fondness for it anymore, any good memories I might have had there are fading with the passing days, replaced by wonderful memories with the Stovehaven Pack and my fiancé Matthew. Thinking of my fiancé brings warmth to my chest, a comfort that sustains me amid uncertainty.

　　I take a deep breath before responding to Kylian, needing to reflect on what this all truly means. My gaze drifts momentarily to the window at the back, where the morning sunlight softly streams in, illuminating the swirling dust particles in the air.

　　How did I get here, after all? A girl who loved partying, being irresponsible, who loved drinking. Now I'm someone's fiancée and alpha of a wolf pack, seeking peace with all the packs on the continent? How did I get here?

　　"With faith, Emma," Accalia replies with a gentle whisper inside me.

　　"For now, we're just on the side of peace. We don't want to be against anyone. I believe it will be possible to reach some agreement with the Moonshadow Pack in the future," I declare with hope, and my voice comes out firm yet animated. I try to convey through my words a promise of better days for all.

　　"Right, then…" Kylian agrees, nodding and writing the name of the Moonshadow Pack on the board, with an arrow next to it labeled 'agreement.' "Now for some of the smaller ones, we have…"

　　"The Bluesky Pack!" Amelia interrupts Kylian and leaps from the chair beside him with agility, her dark brown eyes shining with enthusiasm.

　　Jordan, Brunno, Faylen, and I exchange glances and stifle a laugh. Amelia teases Kylian, and Kylian teases Amelia; their friendship is built on jests and infamous jokes. For two teenagers, it's amusing to witness their antics. The sound of their playful banter lightens the room's tension, reminding me that even in times of uncertainty, there's still room for good laughs. There's room for levity.

　　"The Bluesky Pack is a coastal wolf pack. It has fewer werewolves compared to the other three," Amelia begins her presentation, walking in front of Kylian, who sticks out his tongue and makes an exaggerated face at her.

　　As Amelia turns around, Kylian stops making faces and puts on a fake smile. Amelia takes the pen from his hand and writes the pack's name on the board, her movements swift, and the stark difference between her handwriting and Kylian's is evident. His is legible, but hers is delicate, smooth, and very beautiful.

　　"Wow, what ugly handwriting!" Kylian teases and Amelia's reaction is to hit him with the pen, making the rest of us laugh.

　　Their dynamic is almost comical but deeply comforting. A great reminder that despite differences and difficulties, we are a family.

　　"The family we've built. A family that supports each other," Eldra declares proudly.

　　"It's not allied with the Night Howlers Pack but with the Moonshadow Pack," Kylian announces while Amelia writes on the board, ignoring Kylian's earlier jibe.

　　"But we've also allied with the Bluesky Pack commercially. We provide mining, and they provide fish," Amelia adds to Kylian's information, her tone carrying a subtle satisfaction. Her words echo in the room, making me think even more.

　　I run my hands through my hair, now shoulder-length and gaining more volume and softness. The gesture is almost automatic, a way to reconnect with myself amid so much information, a habit I picked up from observing my fiancé Matthew do the same. I look at the board, which still doesn't have all the names of the packs we have alliances with, whether commercial or otherwise. The black ink of the marker forms a tangle of letters and arrows, a complex map of our relations.