Craig POV:
The holographic map of the Silver Creek territory didn't just flicker; it convulsed, distorting the terrain before sputtering into darkness for the third time within the hour.
"Fix it!" I roared, my fist colliding with the heavy oak desk. The wood groaned and splintered under the impact of my Alpha strength, a spiderweb of cracks radiating from my knuckles.
My Beta, Marcus, didn't just flinch; he recoiled as if struck. "I'm trying, Alpha. But the encryption keys... they're erratic. Rotating every few seconds. Dessie—I mean, the former Beta—she architected a dynamic security protocol. It’s effectively a digital heartbeat. Without her biometric override, the system identifies us as hostiles."
"She is a traitor!" I paced the length of the room, the air thick with the acrid scent of ozone and singed circuits—a smell that set my wolf on edge. "She sabotaged us before she left. Bypass it. Tear it down if you have to."
"We can't," Marcus whispered, his face pale in the reflection of the crimson error messages cascading down the screen like digital blood. "The trade routes are gridlocked. The supply trucks are paralyzed because the automated gates refuse to cycle. We are bleeding fifty thousand dollars an hour, Craig."
A low, dangerous rumble vibrated in my chest. Desperation clawed at my throat. I turned to the IT team, huddled in the corner like frightened sheep. I summoned the *Alpha’s Command*—the ancient, resonant voice that forces every wolf to bare their neck.
"Get this system online now!" I bellowed, the power rippling through the room like a shockwave.
The wolves whimpered, dropping to their knees in instant submission, chins tucked to chests. But the computers didn't care. The servers hummed on, indifferent. The software did not submit.
For the first time, the terrifying reality settled over me: my power had limits. It worked on flesh, blood, and bone. It held no sway over the digital empire Dessie had built from code and logic.
The door to my office swung open, shattering the tension.
Chanel breezed in, a cloud of expensive floral perfume trailing behind her. Yet, beneath the jasmine and rose, my nose twitched at a sharper, underlying scent... something sour. Like milk left too long in the sun.
"Craig, darling," she whined, stepping over a kneeling technician without a glance. "The air conditioning in the master suite is making a dreadful rattling noise. And the chef refuses to accommodate my craving for truffle oil. You need to handle it."
A vice tightened around my temples. "Chanel, the entire economy of the pack is collapsing. My territory is paralyzed. I do not care about the air conditioning."
She pouted, crossing her manicured hands protectively over her stomach. "You're stressing the baby. Do you want your heir to be born anxious?"
*The baby.* The anchor. The only reason I had tolerated this chaos. The only reason I had let Dessie go.
"Go back to the suite," I said, forcing my voice into a fragile calm. "I will deal with it later."
She huffed, spinning on her heel, muttering under her breath about how "Dessie would have fixed it by now."
The mention of her name felt like a physical blow to the gut. Dessie never complained. Dessie never needed to be told what to do. She just... handled it. She was the silent engine of this pack, and I had stripped the gears.
My *Mind-Link* chimed, sharp and intrusive. It was a priority notification from the Council.
*Alpha Snyder,* the message read, cold and formal. *You are under formal investigation for violation of Pack Law regarding the expulsion of Beta Dessie Hunt without due process.*
I stared at the screen. Elder Elek. That old vulture was finally circling.
With a snarl of pure frustration, I tore the tablet off the wall and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the stone fireplace, glass raining down like shrapnel.
"Get out!" I screamed at my staff, my control snapping. "Everyone out!"
They scrambled to leave, tripping over themselves to escape my aura. I needed air. The walls were closing in, suffocating me.
I shifted. Bones cracked and reshaped as I exploded into my wolf form—a massive grey beast fueled by adrenaline and rage. I bolted toward the northern border, needing to outrun my own failure.
I was patrolling the perimeter, where the manicured estate grounds gave way to the dense, untamed forest, when the wind shifted.
It carried a scent that made my hackles rise instantly.
Rot. Sulfur. The distinct, unwashed stench of a Rogue.
And woven through it... that sour, cloying note of Chanel’s perfume.
I froze, blending into the shadows of the ancient pines, my paws silent on the mossy floor.
Chanel was standing in a small clearing, hidden from the main house by a thicket of thorns. She was talking to a man in tattered, filth-encrusted clothes. His eyes were yellow with the madness that consumes the packless.
I crept closer, a predator stalking its prey.
"The Alpha is an idiot," Chanel was saying, her voice clear and sharp. Gone was the whining, helpless tone. She sounded cold. Calculated. Venomous. "He actually believes the pregnancy."
The Rogue laughed, a dry, rasping sound like sandpaper on bone. "And the poison?"
"Simple sleight of hand," Chanel scoffed, inspecting her nails. "Dessie was too noble for her own good. It was easy to frame her. She didn't even fight back. Now, about the payment..."
My world stopped spinning. The forest fell silent.
The pregnancy... a fabrication? The poisoning... a lie?
"We want the White Wolf," the Rogue growled, stepping closer. "You promised us the bloodline."
"I'm working on it," Chanel replied, unflinching. "I used the tracking spell. I know where the Council is hiding her. Once I extract her power, I’ll pay you. But I need Craig distracted a little longer."
A red haze descended over my vision, blotting out the trees, the sky, the world. My wolf roared—not a sound of warning, but a sound of pure, primal betrayal.
I didn't just shift back to human form. I exploded from the treeline like a cannonball.
Chanel screamed as I tackled the Rogue, my momentum carrying us both into the dirt. I didn't hesitate. I tore his throat out in one fluid, savage motion. Hot blood sprayed across my chest. He didn't even have time to beg.
I stood up, blood dripping from my mouth, naked, heaving, and trembling with a rage that felt colder than ice.
Chanel backed away, stumbling over tree roots, her face draining of color until she looked like a ghost. "Craig... baby... I can explain..."
"You aren't pregnant," I said, my voice sounding like grinding stones.
"I... I did it for us!" she cried, falling to her knees, clasping her hands in a mockery of prayer. "To secure our alliance!"
I looked at her. Really looked at her. Beneath the silk and the jewels, she was rotting. That sour smell wasn't just her scent; it was her soul.
And for this... for this creature... I had destroyed the only person who had ever truly loved me.
"Get up," I commanded, the Alpha tone leaving no room for argument. "We are going to the Council."
