MasukThird Person's POV
At the banquet, Eugene and Magnus felt like two isolated islands, often lost in thought.
Members of the Eugenius Scout Team naturally gathered together, seeking comfort in each other's company.
Although Marsh wasn't present, a representative from the Hornbeam Pack attended with Lynette, who was there at her mate's request.
Lynette, new to social events, became the center of attention as an honored Lady.
Guests approached to greet her and i
Third Person's POVChristine had given her a harsh lashing with words, warning her that as a Luna, she needed to exert her authority during a crisis to protect the pack.Gloria, completely stunned by the scolding, slunk back to the pack house, yet she continued to dump all pack affairs onto the aging Alpha Isaiah Turner.Once word of this got out, the noble circles of the capital were rife with mockery for the Bloodmoons.Meanwhile, the protective barrier at the edge of the Bloodmoon territory flickered almost imperceptibly as Christine arrived with her trusted subordinates.The moment she stepped into the packhouse, she commanded Gloria to hand over the roster of every omega in the pack."What do you need those for?" Gloria asked, looking utterly lost."To find a way to save Ulrik, obviously," Christine replied coldly.Gloria tried to press for details, but Christine cut her off impatiently."I'll explain later. Right now, do exactly what I said. Now!"Gloria had no choice but to com
Third Person's POVPrincess Helia led her exhausted team out of the Protocol Hall and back to their quarters.The Northern officials, however, didn't leave. They stayed behind, locked in a heated strategy session for the next round of talks.Cyrus joined the discussion, pointing out a critical red line."We absolutely cannot agree to the third condition regarding food supplies. The Western Tribe suffered a brutal winter last year, and their army is starving. If we send them those rations, we are literally feeding the enemy so they can better attack our own soldiers on the battlefield!"He paused, adding firmly, "Furthermore, Lycan Erasmus has made it clear: there will be no retreat from our current border lines!"After speaking his piece, Cyrus left, feeling a sense of relief. Lance's performance at the table today had given him the confidence that the North's interests were in good hands.Meanwhile, in the cold, damp cells of the Roy
Third Person's POVHelia was the first to break the heavy silence.Her voice carried the unmistakable aura of a Lycan's command."Your nation unilaterally tore up the pact to protect civilians and spare prisoners of war. It was an atrocity that angered the Moon Goddess. However, our slaughter of the Frostfang Pack was equally a bloody transgression."Her eyes burned like torches as she continued, "If these negotiations are to proceed, both sides must acknowledge these blood-stained facts. Only on this foundation can true discussions begin."The translators quickly relayed her words.Lance and Elias exchanged a look and nodded in agreement.With that, the high-stakes negotiation that would decide the fate of two kingdoms officially commenced.The Western Tribe didn't waste time on pleasantries; they laid out five non-negotiable conditions.First, a formal apology from the Northern Kingdom to the slaughtered civilians of t
Third Person's POVThe Northern officials were willing to offer formal apologies, gold, and mineral resources for the Snowdeer Town massacre. However, their primary goal was to secure a chance for a fair hearing rather than facing the tens of thousands of Western troops currently massed at the border.The Western diplomats distributed the parchment dossiers regarding the Snowdeer Town incident.Included were numerous gruesome eyewitness accounts—the truth as reconstructed by the Western soldiers who had been captured alongside the Crown Prince and later managed to escape.The civilians of Snowdeer Town had not been entirely wiped out; survivors hiding in cellars and snow pits had witnessed the hellish slaughter firsthand.In these documents, the identity of the late Crown Prince was scrubbed, using the alias "Rowan" instead.But Lance and Elias knew the truth: "Rowan" was actually Crown Prince Lucian.As Lance and his team read
Third Person's POVBy bringing up the assassination attempt and demanding a formal response before the actual negotiations even started, Lance appeared candid and sincere, but he was actually applying massive psychological pressure on the Western delegation.In fact, the Western envoys almost wished Lance would be sleazier—they wanted him to use the incident as a blatant bargaining chip. That way, both sides could drop the pretense of diplomatic grace and get straight to the cutthroat business of national interests.At this moment, every member of the delegation—except for Bobby Potter—was cursing Damian in their hearts.A trigger-happy idiot like him thought he could replace Pierce? Utterly delusional.Lance maintained a calm gaze, locked in a silent standoff with his counterparts.He knew this was a psychological war of attrition. The Westerners held the "Bloodscar Massacre" card; they should have been the ones roaring in
Third Person's POVCaldwell quickly wrapped up his briefing, summarizing the recent movements following the Palace banquet, specifically the suspicious shifts within the Blue Abyss and Silverlights.The moment the report ended, Klein turned his gaze toward Lance."None of that matters right now. You're the Alpha heading the negotiations tomorrow. Everything depends on whether your fangs are sharp enough. Now, get out and go to sleep."Lance knew better than to argue with an order from Klein.He stood up immediately, but as he reached the door, curiosity got the better of him."You said Mentor Irene blew up the courtyard—how did that actually happen?"Caldwell began signaling frantically for Lance to shut up, but Lance wasn't looking his way."She was playing with that dangerous alchemical powder. It got out of control. It went off," Klein answered, his face an unreadable mask."Wait," Lance said, sounding surprised
Third Person's POVPaisley hurried back to the Blackthorn Pack and, upon hearing the door to the study open, rushed in with her crimson flame pheromones brimming with eager warmth.She had just wrapped up Caldwell's matter and was planning to have Craig assist her—her wolf claws lig
Third Person's POVShe was taken away by force. Before that, she had parents and a brother who doted on her despite her mischievous ways.The rabbit doll wasn't made by Paisley's brother, but by hers.But she couldn't recall many details, such as the faces of her parents and
Third Person's POVBack at the café, they ate, paid, and headed to the car.Mid-journey, Paisley stopped at a corner, slipped out, and hid briefly before stepping onto the main street, blending into the crowd.She dressed simply for her outings, her only jewelry a silver hairpin.Tracking her wasn'
Third Person's POVHunt continued to respond with silence. He knew he couldn't outwit Madison, and his thoughts were no secret to her. All he could do was put in a word for the Spectrehowl Pack now and then; beyond that, he was powerless."How about Wilorina? Has Leon taken any interest in her?" Ma







