The banquet hall glittered with candles and polished silver. Nash had spared no expense for tonight's inter-pack alliance gathering—three neighboring Alphas and their entourages filled the space with the particular energy that came when powerful wolves gathered to measure each other. I moved through the crowd in a dress Nash had chosen, deep green silk that caught the light but didn't draw too much attention. The perfect Luna. Gracious. Unobtrusive. Forgettable.
I smiled at Alpha Brennan from the Clearwater Pack as he complimented the wine selection. I nodded politely when Alpha Korrin's mate asked about the renovations to the training grounds. I kept my posture relaxed, my aura carefully suppressed, my thumb occasionally pressing against my wrist beneath the table when Sadie's laughter rang out from Nash's side.
She wore red tonight. Bold, commanding red that made every head turn when she entered. She'd positioned herself at Nash's right hand during dinner—the seat traditionally reserved for the Luna during formal gatherings. I sat three chairs down, between a visiting Beta and an elderly Gamma who spoke very little.
No one seemed to notice the displacement. Or if they did, no one cared.
Halfway through the meal, I excused myself. The powder room excuse was convenient and expected. I slipped out of the banquet hall and moved down the corridor toward the small washroom near the kitchens. But voices drifted from the terrace—Nash's voice, unmistakable even through the glass doors.
I stopped.
"Your Luna seems... quiet," Alpha Brennan was saying. There was a pause, the kind that carried unspoken judgment.
"Juliette's fine for what she is." Nash's tone was casual, dismissive. "She handles the domestic side of things. Keeps the pack house running."
"But her aura—" That was Alpha Korrin. "I couldn't detect anything. Is she even shifted?"
A low chuckle. Nash's. "She's got a wolf. Somewhere. Just not much of one. Honestly, I think the bond was a mistake. The Moon Goddess has a sense of humor sometimes."
My hand found the wall. Pressed flat against cool stone.
"You deserve better, Nash." Sadie's voice now, smooth and warm. "You've built Ironcliff into a regional power. You need a Luna who matches that strength."
"Sadie earned her place," Nash said. "Every rank, every victory. She's a real warrior. That's the kind of wolf who belongs beside an Alpha."
Alpha Brennan made a sound of agreement. "She certainly has the presence for it."
"She does." Nash's voice carried a note of pride I recognized—the same tone he used to use when talking about me, back in the beginning. "Actually, I've been meaning to discuss territory arrangements with you both. The northern lakeside stretch—you know the one, Brennan, you commented on it last year."
"Beautiful land," Brennan said. "Prime den territory."
"I'm gifting it to Sadie." Nash said it easily, like discussing weather. "She's been asking about establishing her own compound. Somewhere she can train the next generation of warriors. The lakeside area is perfect."
The world tilted.
The northern lakeside territory. The stretch of land I'd shown Nash on a map two years ago, when we'd talked about the future. About pups. About building something permanent together. I'd described the way the morning light hit the water, how the forest provided natural protection, how I could picture our children running through those trees.
He'd held my hand and said it sounded perfect.
And now he was giving it to Sadie.
"Generous," Alpha Korrin said. "Though I'm surprised your Luna agreed to part with prime territory."
"Juliette doesn't have opinions on tactical decisions." Nash's voice was flat. "That's not her strength."
Sadie laughed softly. "She's more of a... supportive presence. Which has its place, of course."
"Of course," Brennan echoed, but the amusement in his tone was clear.
I turned and walked back down the corridor. My hands were shaking. Sable was no longer just pushing against the suppression—she was snarling, a sound that reverberated through my chest like thunder trapped beneath skin.
I made it to my private chambers and locked the door. Pulled out my phone. Elise answered on the second ring.
"He's giving away the territory," I said without preamble. My voice sounded strange. Distant. "The lakeside land. The one I told him I wanted for our pups' den. He's gifting it to Sadie."
A pause. Then Elise's voice, cold and precise. "When?"
"Tonight. He just told the visiting Alphas. Like it was nothing."
"Juliette." Elise's tone shifted into something harder. "This is escalating faster than I expected. Sadie's not just positioning herself as his equal—she's erasing you entirely. You need to act. Soon."
"I need the evidence locked first." My thumb pressed against my wrist. Hard enough to hurt. "Every layer. Every pack she's manipulated. Every lie she's told. I need it airtight."
"The dossier is nearly complete," Elise said. "Two more packs confirmed her pattern. She did this in Clearwater three years ago—turned Alpha Brennan's attention away from his mate using the exact same tactics. The mate rejected her within six months. Brennan's pack still hasn't recovered."
Something cold settled in my chest. "How long until you have everything?"
"Three days. Maybe four."
"Then I wait three days."
"Juliette—"
"I need the timing to be mine, Elise." My voice came out sharper than I intended. "Not his. Not Sadie's. Mine. When I move, it has to be complete. No escape routes. No room for reinterpretation."
Elise was quiet for a moment. Then: "Understood. But Jules—be careful. Wolves like Sadie don't stop escalating. And Nash is too blind to see what's coming."
I ended the call and sat on the edge of my bed. The dress felt too tight. The room felt too small. Sable was still snarling, a sound that had become almost constant now.
Three days.
I could survive three more days.
I pressed my thumb against my wrist and counted my breaths until the shaking stopped.
