I paced the length of our den, my fingers trembling as I dialed Colin's number on the pack's secure communication line. The screen flashed with an error message I'd never seen before: "Access Denied: User Sierra Williamson requires authorization for external communication."
"Impossible," I muttered, trying again. The same message appeared.
My wolf stirred anxiously within me as I tried a different approach, requesting a direct connection to the Stellar Moon Pack's Alpha line. Again, access denied.
Someone had deliberately blocked my communications. The realization sent ice through my veins as I remembered Hadlee's smug smile this morning when she'd mentioned "taking care of everything."
I grabbed my jacket and car keys. If I couldn't call Colin, I'd drive to him. The Stellar Moon territory was only three hours away.
"Going somewhere?" Vance's voice stopped me at the door.
"I need to see my brother," I said firmly, one hand protectively cradling my belly.
His eyes narrowed. "Not today. The healer said you need rest."
"The healer said nothing of the—"
"Sierra." His tone carried that edge of command that made my skin crawl. "You're not going anywhere."
I pushed past him anyway, heading for my car in the driveway. The engine started normally, but as I pulled toward the pack's main gate, two border guards stepped into my path.
"Ma'am," the taller one said, not quite meeting my eyes. "I'm going to have to ask you to return to your den."
"On what grounds?" I demanded, rolling down my window.
"Alpha's orders. High-risk pregnancy requiring confinement."
My blood ran cold. "What?"
"Luna Hadlee filed the paperwork this morning," the guard continued, his discomfort evident. "For your safety and the pup's."
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, fighting the urge to ram through their barrier. My wolf howled in frustration as I slowly reversed, returning to a den that no longer felt like home.
---
I spent the afternoon in a fog of disbelief, moving through the motions of daily life while my mind raced for solutions. When I finally remembered the ancient pack artifacts stored in my private chambers—heirlooms from my mother that Vance had never shown interest in—I hurried upstairs, suddenly afraid.
The door to my chambers was ajar. Voices drifted out—hushed, excited whispers.
"—incredible find," Megan's voice, uncharacteristically eager. "These documents prove territorial rights to the eastern forests."
"And these?" Hadlee's voice was sharp with excitement. "What are these markings?"
"Family seals," I heard Megan reply. "Old bloodline indicators. Look at the silver content on these scrolls—they're worth a fortune to collectors."
I pushed the door open, my heart hammering against my ribs. They both looked up, startled—then quickly composed themselves.
"Sierra," Hadlee recovered first, her smile brittle. "We were just organizing your things. You've been so disorganized lately."
My eyes fell on the scattered papers—territorial maps, bloodline charts, and financial records that traced my family's holdings back generations. My mother's silver hairbrush lay in Megan's hands, its handle twisted to reveal a hidden compartment.
"Those are private," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Nothing's private between family," Hadlee replied smoothly, sliding several documents into her bag. "We're just taking inventory for when the pup arrives. So much to prepare!"
Megan's fingers traced the edge of a particularly old scroll. "These eastern territories alone must be worth millions. And the hunting rights..."
"We'll need to secure them properly," Hadlee nodded. "Once the problem is handled."
Their eyes met over my head, a silent communication passing between them that chilled me to the bone.
---
That evening, I stumbled across the pack's financial records while searching for anything that might help me contact Colin. What I found made my knees buckle.
Line after line of unauthorized transactions, all bearing Vance's signature. Rare silver jewelry purchased for "M.W." Prime hunting ground access acquired for "special guest." All charged against accounts I didn't recognize—until I saw the routing numbers.
My family's hidden accounts. The ones Vance had sworn he knew nothing about.
The dates matched perfectly with each gift Megan had appeared with over the past month. The elaborate silver bracelet she wore at dinner last week. The custom hunting knife with moonstone inlay. All purchased with my family's resources.
I scrolled further, my vision blurring with tears and rage. There was more—much more. Territory purchases in Megan's name. Training sessions with elite pack warriors. All paid for with money that should have been protecting my future—my pup's future.
The door creaked behind me, and I whirled around to find Vance watching me, his expression unreadable.
"Found what you were looking for?" he asked softly.
I held up the tablet, my hand shaking with fury. "How could you?"
His eyes flickered to the screen, then back to me. "I did what was necessary."
"Necessary?" My voice cracked. "You've been stealing from me—from our pup—to buy her gifts?"
Something shifted in his expression—not guilt, but calculation. "You'll understand soon enough," he said, moving toward me with that same false tenderness that once made my heart race.
Now it just made my skin crawl.
