The Shadowridge pack house glowed with golden light. Candles flickered on every table. Laughter echoed off the stone walls. Warriors clinked their glasses. Betas chatted near the bar. Everyone was celebrating my thirtieth birthday.
I stood near the center of the great hall in a silver dress that hugged my waist. My wolf stirred inside me, uneasy. I ignored her. Tonight was supposed to be perfect. Caden had promised me that.
Phoebe Bell appeared at my side, her phone clutched tight in her hand. Her face was pale. "Natalia," she said, her voice low and urgent. "You need to see this."
She shoved the phone into my hands before I could ask what was wrong.
The screen showed her social media feed. A photo filled the display. Macy Gibson stood beside a sleek black car, her blonde hair catching the sunlight. She wore a cream blazer and held a leather portfolio. The caption read: *Off to the Continental Alpha Leadership Summit! So honored to represent Shadowridge Pack!*
My breath stopped.
The Continental Alpha Leadership Summit. The seat I had earned. The seat Caden had promised me after I spent six months negotiating the alliance with the Riverbend Pack and the Clearwater territory. I had drafted every treaty clause. I had sat through endless meetings with hostile Alphas. I had built those alliances from nothing.
And now Macy Gibson—a low-ranking she-wolf trainee who could barely file reports correctly—was going in my place.
"What is this?" I whispered.
Phoebe's jaw was tight. "I posted it an hour ago. I thought you knew."
I looked up. Across the hall, Caden stood surrounded by his Betas and Gammas. He laughed at something Marcus Vance said. His hand rested casually on a glass of whiskey. He looked completely at ease.
He hadn't told me.
My wolf snarled inside my chest. *He lied to us.*
I handed the phone back to Phoebe and walked toward him. My heels clicked sharply on the stone floor. Conversations quieted as I passed. Warriors stepped aside. By the time I reached Caden, the entire hall had gone still.
"Caden," I said. My voice was calm. Too calm.
He turned, his smile easy. "Natalia. Enjoying your party?"
"Why is Macy Gibson attending the Continental Summit?"
His smile didn't falter. He took a slow sip of his whiskey. "She needed the exposure."
"That was my seat."
"You're being dramatic." He waved his hand dismissively. "Macy worked hard on those alliances. She deserves recognition."
I stared at him. My wolf pressed against my ribs, furious. "I negotiated those alliances. I drafted every treaty. I sat through every meeting."
"And Macy supported you." His tone was condescending, like he was explaining something simple to a child. "She needs experience. You've had plenty of opportunities."
Marcus Vance shifted uncomfortably beside him. The other Betas looked away.
"You promised me that seat," I said quietly.
Caden's eyes hardened. "I'm the Alpha. I decide who represents this pack."
The hall was silent. Every eye was on us. My wolf howled inside me, demanding I tear into him. But I didn't move. I just stood there, feeling the weight of every broken promise settle over me like a shroud.
Then Phoebe appeared at my side again. This time, she was holding something. My birthday cake. Three tiers of white frosting and delicate sugar flowers. She pressed the platter into my hands, her eyes gleaming with fierce satisfaction.
"Do it," she whispered.
I looked down at the cake. Then I looked at Caden.
He was still smirking.
I lifted the cake and smashed it into his chest.
Frosting exploded across his tailored shirt. Chunks of sponge slid down his jacket. Sugar flowers stuck to his collar. His mouth fell open in shock. The hall erupted—gasps, a few stifled laughs, the scrape of chairs as people stood.
I set the empty platter on the nearest table and wiped my hands on a napkin. "Happy birthday to me," I said softly.
Then I turned and walked out.
No one stopped me.
---
The days after the party were cold.
Caden didn't apologize. Instead, he demanded I apologize to *him*. He cornered me in the Alpha suite two mornings later, his face twisted with anger.
"You embarrassed me in front of my entire pack," he snapped. "You made me look weak."
"You stole my seat," I said flatly.
"I didn't steal anything. I made a leadership decision." He stepped closer, his aura pressing down on me. "You will apologize, Natalia. Now."
His Alpha tone rolled over me like a wave. It was supposed to force submission. Supposed to make my wolf bow her head and bare her neck.
But it didn't.
The command slid off me like water. My wolf didn't even flinch. Instead, she lifted her head and met his dominance with icy calm.
Caden's eyes widened. He tried again, his voice deeper, sharper. "Apologize."
Nothing.
I said nothing aloud. But inside, my wolf whispered one word: *Plan.*
---
Two nights later, I stood in the hallway outside Caden's office. The door was cracked open. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop. I was walking past when I heard his voice.
"Everything's on schedule," he said. His tone was low, intimate. "The Pack Alliance Banquet is in two weeks. That's when I'll make the announcement."
A pause. He was on the phone.
"I'll credit you for the alliance victories," he continued. "The Lycan Council will see your value. After that, I'll handle Natalia. She won't be a problem."
Another pause. Then he laughed—soft, indulgent.
"I know, Macy. I know. Just be patient a little longer."
My wolf went still.
I stepped back from the door. My hands were steady. My breathing was even. But inside, something cold and sharp settled into place.
Caden wasn't just stealing my accomplishments.
He was planning to replace me entirely.
I turned and walked away, my footsteps silent on the carpet. My wolf didn't snarl. She didn't rage.
She smiled.
*Good,* she whispered. *Let him think he's won.*
