**(Alexander's POV)**I stood in the presentation hall, watching the faces of our rivals as our victory was announced. The Advanced Moon-Crystal Communication project was ours. Blackwood Pack Holdings had emerged triumphant, just as I had planned.Deputy Alpha Thorne's expression was a masterclass in barely controlled fury. His jaw clenched so tightly I could almost hear his teeth grinding. He gave me one last venomous glare before stalking out of the hall, Heather Reed following demurely behind him.The moment they left, representatives from the other packs approached with their congratulations. Their words were gracious, their smiles fixed. None of them had expected us to win so decisively."A brilliant presentation, Alpha Blackwood," murmured the representative from Silverleaf Pack, though he'd addressed me by my former title rather than as 'Assistant.'I accepted his praise with a modest nod. "The entire Blackwood team deserves the credit."As I glanced around the hall, I cou
(Heather's POV)I stood frozen in the crowded territory gathering hall, my body turning to ice despite the warmth of the room. Deputy Alpha Thorne's fingers tightened around my palm, his touch possessive rather than comforting."Heather, I believe you won't let me down," he murmured, his voice smooth but with an undercurrent of steel.I managed a slight nod, but my attention had already shifted to the entrance. Alexander Blackwood had just walked in with Eva Dawnrunner at his side, and my heart sank. The confident stride, the subtle power in his movements, the calculating gleam in his amber eyes—this wasn't the weakened Alexander who'd lost his memory. This was the Shadow Alpha, returned in full force.Deputy Alpha Thorne might not realize it yet, but I knew: our defeat was inevitable.(Alexander's POV)I adjusted my ceremonial robe as Eva Dawnrunner and I moved through the gathering hall. The tension was palpable—all eyes tracked our entrance, whispers following in our wake. I s
(Third person's POV)Night fell over the Blackwood Ancestral Den as a black ceremonial SUV drifted silently into the estate, its headlights briefly illuminating the ancient trees before going dark. Inside the grand entrance hall, Richard Blackwood and his mate had been pacing anxiously for hours, their faces lined with worry.When Dominic Blackwood finally stepped through the doorway, flanked by Alexander and Aurora, Richard's mate rushed forward, relief and anger warring on her face."You terrified your uncle and me!" she cried, gripping Dominic's arm with surprising strength. "No matter what, you can't break pack law like this! Do you have any idea what could have happened?"Dominic's face was still bruised from his confrontation with Deputy Alpha Thorne, his expression a mixture of defiance and exhaustion. He opened his mouth to respond, but Alexander smoothly stepped between them."My cousin only acts out of deep love," Alexander said, his voice carrying a gentle humor that di
(Aurora's POV)News traveled faster than wildfire through the territory communication networks. By midnight, everyone knew what had happened at the Silver Pine Lodge."Can you believe Dominic actually smashed Heather Reed's ceremonial SUV?" whispered a she-wolf beside me in the gathering hall.I pretended not to hear, but my ears caught everything. Dominic and Heather both ending up at the Territory Enforcement Den. Deputy Alpha Thorne left standing without his bride-to-be."One can hardly have a mate-marking ceremony alone," another wolf chuckled behind his goblet of moon wine.The moon-lights cast a warm, golden glow across the gathering hall. Much to my surprise, the ceremony's failure had done nothing to dampen the spirits of the guests. The pack musicians continued playing cheerful melodies as if nothing had happened. Wolves danced, mingled, and laughed – the drama simply adding spice to their evening.Alexander seemed positively jubilant beside me. His amber eyes gleamed wi
(Dominic's POV)The venison stew between us had grown cold, untouched and forgotten. I stared at Heather Reed across the table, her violet eyes reflecting the moonlight streaming through the window. My heart felt like it was being torn from my chest with every passing second."Are you really set on this mate-bond ceremony?" I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Heather's face showed no hesitation. "Yes!" Then, with a politeness that cut deeper than any claw, she added, "You are welcome to attend."I looked at her gentle face, the curve of her lips that I'd once kissed countless times, and gritted my teeth to keep from howling my pain."Don't worry, I'll be there on time," I promised.The air between us was deathly still. The bowl of venison stew had long since stopped steaming. I couldn't bring myself to eat a single bite. How could I, when my entire world was crumbling around me?My mind drifted back to our early days together. Those first years were filled with mom
(Alexander's POV)A week passed in the blink of an eye. The Advanced Moon-Crystal Communication project finally released their shortlist, and as I expected, both Blackwood Pack Holdings and Cloud Peak Territory had made the cut, along with ten other packs.One moon cycle. That was all we had before the final bidding. Not a lot of time to prepare, but I was determined to make every moment count.I transformed our project team into a well-oiled machine. No detail was too small, no wolf was exempt from scrutiny. I demanded perfection, pushing everyone to their limits and beyond. The pack members began calling me "Shadow Alpha" again behind my back, but I didn't care.This wasn't just about winning a contract. This was about destroying Deputy Alpha Thorne and making him regret ever crossing the Blackwood Pack.For half a moon, I drove the team relentlessly. Early mornings, late nights. No excuses accepted. No weakness tolerated.Some of the weaker wolves cracked under the pressure. I