The queries arrived on a Tuesday morning.
Three of them, delivered by courier within an hour of each other. Formal letters on embossed stationery, each bearing the seal of an allied Alpha. I watched from the hallway as Rolf carried them into Tristan's office, his expression tight.
I knew what they were before anyone opened them. I'd been expecting them since the gossip started circulating. Allied packs didn't tolerate instability in their treaty partners. They would want clarification. Reassurance. The kind of careful diplomatic language that smoothed over uncertainty and reinforced bonds.
The kind of language I had always provided.
I continued down the hall toward my office. Behind me, I heard Tristan's door close. The sound was final. Decisive.
He would try to answer them himself.
I gave him two hours.
When I passed his office again mid-morning, the door was open. Tristan sat at his desk, three letters spread before him, his hand curled into a fist at his side. Open. Close. Open. Close.
Rolf stood nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"The eastern Alpha wants confirmation on the territorial access terms," Rolf said. "Do we have those on file?"
Tristan's jaw tightened. "They should be in the treaty archives."
"I checked. There's a summary, but not the detailed terms. The Luna usually—" Rolf stopped. His eyes flicked toward the doorway where I stood.
I didn't move. Didn't speak.
Tristan looked up. Our eyes met for half a second.
Then he looked away.
"I'll handle it," he said flatly.
I walked on.
By midday, the queries remained unanswered. I knew because the eastern Alpha's Beta sent a follow-up message—a polite inquiry marked urgent—that arrived while I was reviewing supply contracts in the main hall.
The Omega who delivered it hesitated, glancing between me and the closed door of Tristan's office.
"Should I—" she began.
"Leave it on his desk," I said quietly.
She nodded and hurried away.
I returned to my contracts. The numbers blurred slightly. I blinked and refocused.
Three more days.
That was all I needed.
The Pack Banquet was scheduled for Friday evening. A midwinter gathering hosted by one of Silverfang's key allies on neutral territory—a sprawling estate with a frozen ceremonial lake and a banquet hall large enough to hold six packs comfortably. It was the kind of event that required weeks of preparation: seating arrangements, gift exchanges, carefully choreographed introductions that reinforced alliances and smoothed old tensions.
I had managed Silverfang's presence at these events for three years.
This would be my last.
I spent Thursday afternoon finalizing the details. The seating chart. The list of attending dignitaries. The talking points Tristan would need for each Alpha—small, personal touches that made the difference between a functional alliance and a strong one.
I left the documents on his desk in a neat folder.
He didn't thank me.
Friday arrived cold and clear. I dressed carefully—a floor-length gown in deep silver, my hair pinned in the elegant style expected of a Luna, my Crownveil crest hidden beneath the high collar. I looked exactly like what I had always been: composed, professional, untouchable.
The drive to the estate took an hour. Tristan sat in the front seat beside Rolf. I sat in the back, alone, watching the winter landscape pass in silence.
Giselle traveled separately. She would arrive later, as a guest rather than pack family. It was a distinction that mattered in werewolf politics—one that Tristan had insisted on maintaining, though I suspected it was more for appearance than principle.
When we arrived, the estate was already alive with activity. Alphas and their Lunas gathered in clusters near the grand entrance, their breath misting in the cold air. I stepped out of the car and immediately shifted into the role I had perfected: I greeted the eastern Alpha's Luna by name, complimented the decorations, inquired after her daughter's recent mating ceremony.
She smiled, warm and genuine. "You always remember, Alina. That's a rare gift."
I returned the smile. It felt like lifting a weight.
"It's an honor to be here," I said.
Tristan moved ahead of me into the hall, Rolf at his side. I followed at a measured distance, close enough to fulfill my role, far enough to avoid the pretense of unity.
Inside, the banquet hall glittered. Chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, casting warm light over long tables draped in white linen. A fire roared in the massive stone hearth. Wolves in formal attire filled the space—Alphas in dark suits, Lunas in gowns, Betas and Gammas standing in respectful attendance.
I moved through the room with practiced ease, managing introductions, facilitating conversations, ensuring that every visiting dignitary felt seen. It was work I could do in my sleep. Work I had always done.
Giselle arrived an hour into the event.
She wore red—a bold, deliberate choice that drew every eye in the room. Her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders. Her smile was radiant.
She moved through the crowd like she belonged there. Like she had always belonged there.
I watched from across the room as she approached Tristan. He turned toward her, his expression softening in a way it never softened for me.
I pressed my thumb against my wrist.
The pain was clean. Grounding.
I turned back to the northern Alpha's Luna and resumed our conversation about trade routes.
The banquet proceeded smoothly. Dinner was served in courses—roasted venison, winter vegetables, rich desserts that filled the hall with the scent of cinnamon and honey. I ate mechanically, responding to questions, laughing at appropriate moments, maintaining the facade.
After dinner, the gathering moved outside.
It was tradition. The frozen ceremonial lake behind the estate was lit with torches, the ice glowing pale blue in the firelight. Wolves gathered along the shore, talking in low voices, their breath rising in clouds.
I stood near the edge, alone, watching the flames reflect off the ice.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"Alina."
I turned.
Giselle stood a few feet away, her red gown stark against the snow. Her expression was pleasant. Friendly, even.
"Beautiful night," she said.
I said nothing.
She stepped closer. "I wanted to thank you. For everything you've done for the pack. For Tristan. You've been so… gracious."
Her tone was warm. Sincere.
I looked at her.
Really looked at her.
She thought she'd won. She thought this was over.
She had no idea.
"You're welcome," I said quietly.
She smiled and moved to stand beside me, gazing out at the lake. We stood in silence for a moment, two women at the edge of frozen water, surrounded by torchlight and watching wolves.
Then she shifted.
It was subtle. A small step closer. A slight lean, as though she'd lost her balance.
Her shoulder bumped mine.
Hard.
I felt my feet slide on the icy shore. My arms windmilled, grasping for something—anything—but there was nothing.
I hit the ice.
It cracked.
And then I was falling.
The water was a shock—cold so absolute it felt like fire. It closed over my head, thick and black, dragging me down. I kicked, clawing toward the surface, my lungs screaming.
I broke through, gasping.
The cold was everywhere. My dress was lead. My limbs were slow. My wolf stirred weakly, trying to generate warmth, but she was still recovering, still broken from the stairs, from the loss, from everything.
She couldn't help me.
I heard voices above—sharp, overlapping, frantic.
I tried to swim toward the edge, but my hands couldn't find purchase on the ice. It kept breaking under my weight, splintering into useless fragments.
Someone shouted my name.
I looked up.
Giselle stood at the shore, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide with perfectly performed horror.
And behind her, Tristan appeared, his face pale in the torchlight.
He didn't move.
