The night pressed heavy against the pack grounds. A sharp wind whistled through the trees, rattling the branches like restless bones. The moon hung pale and high above, but its light did little to soothe the shadows cloaking the compound.

The pack house was unusually still. Warriors had retired, servants had withdrawn, and even the guards seemed to tread lightly, unwilling to disturb the silence that clung like a shroud. The heart of the house the Alpha’s chamber was no different.

Inside, ...