Romans de ritaenohivwovwo

“It’s a pity High Alpha Magnus mapped out the pack’s bloodlines decades ago,” I thought, the bitterness thick in my throat.Victor was the safe choice for territory management, the steady wolf who followed the scent of tradition. But Peter was the predator. He was the reason the Draven name carried weight across the frozen northern borders. Five years ago, when Magnus stepped back from the front lines of the Moon Council, he’d handed the mantle of power to Peter.But Peter didn't care for the political posturing of the Cheshire Lands. He’d moved to the northern wastes, dominating the professional hockey leagues and expansion territories while the rest of the family stayed comfortable.“Are you shaking, Ethan?” Magnus chuckled, his voice a low vibration. “Scared Peter will put you through the boards now that he’s back?”Peter was only thirty-three, but he carried himself with an ancient, terrifying authority. Back at Northbridge Academy, when Ethan was seventeen, he’d tried to lead a r

“Freya, stop with the wolf-spirit nonsense,” I said, my voice cutting through her sweet scent like a silver blade. “Vanessa doesn't want my man; she wants my Alpha’s seat. But she’s welcome to the scraps—I’m finished with him.”Freya’s jaw tightened, her eyes darting toward the heavy boots thudding behind me. “Aria, you don't mean”“Who exactly are you finished with, Aria?” Ethan’s voice was a low-frequency growl that made the glass in my hand vibrate.Freya forced a submissive smile, bowing her head slightly as the heir approached. “Ethan, ignore her. Aria is just howling at the moon, she didn't mean it.”Beside him, Lila looked like a vision of lunar purity. Her white silk dress shimmered, making her look like a high-ranking healer, her scent of vanilla and rain drifting over to us.“Aria,” Lila whispered, her voice a soft, manipulative whine, “are you still baring your teeth at Ethan because of that Council appointment? He had pack duties, surely you understand.”Vanessa let out a

“High Alpha Magnus’s birthday run is tomorrow. Are you back from your circuit or still hiding in the northern territories?”I stared at the glowing screen for a full hour before I finally sent back a single, cold question mark.“Aria, enough with the lone-wolf act,” Ethan’s next message snapped instantly. “Do you have any idea how much this gala means for the Draven pack’s standing? The entire Moon Council will be watching.”I stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom, my damp hair clinging to my shoulders. I didn't feel the usual tug of the bond—just a hollow, bitter amusement.“We broke the link, Ethan,” I typed, my fingers steady. “I won’t be attending the Alpha’s gala. Take Lila. Take a stray. Take whoever you want.”“Still playing these psychological games? Nobody officially dissolved the engagement,” he shot back. “I’m bringing the Alpha vehicle to your flat at seven. You know Magnus expects you there. Do you really want to be the reason the High Alpha loses face on his birthday?

“You think a mere pack brother cancels a bond registration for a welcome run?” I asked, my voice slicing through the silence like a silver claw.I let out a jagged laugh, staring directly into Ethan’s shifting eyes. “That’s truly touching. Are you positive he’s just your brother, Lila, or is he the secret mate you’ve been hiding in the shadows?”Ethan’s face darkened, the Alpha blood in him simmering. “That is enough. Aria, show some respect and apologize to Lila this instant.”I tightened my grip on the edge of the table, my resolve hardening like stone. “I’m making a blood oath here and now. I will never bind myself to Ethan Draven. If I ever crawl back to this pathetic excuse for an Alpha, let the Moon Goddess curse him to never sire an heir to the Draven line.”I didn't wait for a reaction. I turned and stalked out of the Sunrise Den, leaving the air heavy with the scent of a broken oath.“Aria’s got quite the bite for a lawyer, doesn't she?” Victor Draven chuckled awkwardly behin

“Aria, I’m at the gate. My wolf is pacing—I need to see you. Moon Council Hall in thirty, yeah?”I stared at the glowing text on my screen, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. This was it. Five years of Northbridge Academy, five years of running through the forest together, and today, Ethan Draven and I were finally registering our bond.“You just shifted back from the Manchester airfield, didn’t you?” Graham Cole chuckled from the driver’s seat of the pack transport unit. “That’s a look of a female ready to claim her Alpha.”“Is it that obvious, Graham?” I leaned against the window, the morning sun hitting my face. “It’s the Lunar Equinox. I’ve had this slot booked at the Council for weeks. I wasn’t letting anyone else take it.”“Young love and high stakes,” Graham laughed, pulling the rugged transport unit onto the main trail. “My daughter tried to get a Valentine’s registration, but the Council told her she’d have to wait for the next moon cycle.”“Wish her luck