Outside the Crystal Pack house, under the dark sky and glowing lanterns, laughter echoed.
Rowland sat with his two close friends around a table. A bottle of dark wine was in his hand. His eyes were lazy. His smile was cold.Lancelot leaned back in his chair. “You always get everything, don’t you?”Rowland smirked. “That’s what it means to be born at the top.”Lancelot lifted his cup. “To the most powerful alpha prince in all the packs.”The others raised their cups and cheered.Rowland drank deeply, then leaned forward. “Do you think my father still doubts who should take the throne?”Lancelot chuckled. “He’s old. He just likes to pretend he’s still in charge.”Rowland grinned. “Soon, he’ll step down. And everything will be mine.”“Exactly,” Lancelot said. “And when that day comes, you’ll need a strong Luna. Or… at least a fertile one.”Rowland chuckled. “Oh, don’t worry. That’s already being hThe day Maggie returned to the Crystal pack, the air was thick with unease. The guards at the border were surprised to see her, but no one stopped her. Her face was pale, her eyes swollen from lack of sleep, and her clothes looked dusty from the long journey. She had traveled all night, her heart heavy and full of regret. Everything that had happened in the Sauna pack replayed in her mind—Rowland’s arrogance, Leah’s mockery, and her own foolishness. She wanted nothing more than to be back home and to clear her conscience before it was too late.As she entered the pack grounds, some of the pack members looked at her with confusion. Others looked away completely, not sure what to think. Maggie could feel their judgment, their suspicion. She walked quickly toward the main house where she knew Kendrick would be. The pack house looked quiet from the outside, but when she entered, she heard voices from the council chamber. The elders were gathered, their low tones serio
The morning light spread through the large dining hall of the Sauna Pack. The long table was filled with dishes and golden plates that shone in the light that came through the wide glass windows. Servants moved quietly around, serving breakfast and refilling cups. Leah sat at the head of the table, dressed in a fine silk robe, her hair tied neatly behind her head. Her face was calm, but her eyes were full of control.Rowland sat beside her, dressed in a dark tunic, looking completely at ease. He spoke softly to Leah from time to time, smiling at her words, and the sound of their laughter filled the room. They looked like a couple made for power — proud, confident, and sure of themselves.At the other end of the table sat Maggie. She was quiet, her fingers stiff around her cup. Her face was pale, her jaw tight. She had barely touched the food on her plate. Every now and then, her eyes lifted toward Rowland, hoping he would look at her — but he never did. He didn’t e
True to get words, Leah was spending the night in Rowland's arms. She lay beside Rowland, her head resting on his chest. He was awake, staring at the ceiling with a distant look in his eyes. His mind was busy, restless, filled with thoughts of power and conquest. Leah turned slightly, tracing her fingers across his arm, but she could feel the tension in him.“What are you thinking about?” she asked softly.Rowland’s eyes shifted from the ceiling to her face. “The future,” he said in a low voice. “My future, your future, the Crystal Pack’s future and how I can join forces with as many packs as possible to take Kendrick down.”Leah frowned slightly, lifting her head to look at him properly. “You’re not still thinking about fighting Kendrick, are you? I told you already, it won’t be necessary. Kendrick has a soft heart. He won’t want his people dying over a position that should he can just let go. There will be no need for too many packs to get invo
Rowland and Maggie walked behind two guards as they were led through the wide halls of the Sauna pack house. The servants followed behind them with their luggage. Leah had ordered to arrange separate rooms for both guests, but she had made sure that Maggie’s room was far from Rowland’s.Rowland walked ahead with his usual proud posture, his chin lifted slightly, his expression calm and arrogant. Maggie followed behind him, her face tense. She had been silent for most of the walk, but her heart was burning with anger and shame. She had never thought Rowland would betray her in front of another woman, especially not in front of Leah, who had treated her with nothing but open disdain.When they turned into the inner hall, one of the servants stopped at a fork in the passage. He bowed slightly and said, “Alpha Rowland, this way, please.” He pointed toward the eastern wing of the house. Then another servant turned to Maggie and gestured toward a narrower corridor that l
The road out of the Howlers pack was long and dusty. The night air was cold, and the silence between Rowland and Maggie stretched for miles. After what happened with Alpha Lucas, Rowland had barely spoken a word. His anger burned inside him, quiet but heavy. He felt insulted and humiliated, and the rejection from the young alpha stung his pride. Maggie watched him closely as they rode, but she knew better than to speak when his face looked that way.When the morning light began to show, they stopped by a stream to rest their horses. Maggie came to sit beside him. “So,” she said softly, “what now? You said you wanted to visit as many packs as you could, but it looks like this first one has already gone wrong.”Rowland did not look at her. He was staring into the water. “We are going to the Sauna pack,” he said flatly.Maggie blinked in surprise. “The Sauna pack?”“Yes.”She frowned. “Rowland, are you forgetting what happened the last
Rowland knew that staying further and having Kendrick win the pack over was not the way out for him. He needed to move and make solid plans. He stayed up at night and made his plans.Maggie was the first to hear his plan. He called her into his room late at night when the whole pack was asleep. She came in quietly, her long robe brushing the floor. “You called for me?” she asked softly.Rowland nodded, his face hard and serious. “Yes. It’s time,” he said.“Time for what?” Maggie asked.“Time to take back what belongs to me,” Rowland said sharply. “Kendrick has taken too much. He has no right to rule. I will travel tonight. I will go to other packs and form new alliances. With their support, I can return and remove Kendrick from power.”Maggie frowned. “That’s risky, Rowland. Many alphas already know about the death of Simon and the struggle between you and Kendrick. They might not want to get involved.”Rowland’s expression darke