Chapter 83

Elora’s POV

The council chamber was starting to feel like my purgatory. Too familiar.

Ink, parchment, wolf musk, that cocktail just clung to every breath. And the tension? Thick enough to chew. That long oak table with the Silver Crest crest carved into it? Might as well have been a battlefield. Every time I sat down, it was me versus a dozen sharp-eyed old wolves, all of them just itching for me to trip up.

But I didn’t.

Not anymore.

Dominic’s empty chair still echoed like some ghost note down the corridors, but I had learned to fill the quiet with order instead of letting it swallow me.

“Border patrols are doubled on the east,” I said, flipping to the next grim little report. “No rogue sightings since last attack.”

Elder Harwin, professional skeptic and king of cane-tapping, rapped his stick on the floor. “And the cost, Luna? You’re burning out our men. Even wolves need sleep.”

I didn’t even blink. “So do the dead, Elder. I’d rather keep our warriors on their feet than on the ground.”

That got a ripple around the table.

Across from me, Dante tried, but failed to hide his grin behind his hand as his eyes sparkled.

“You’re saying the border’s clear, then?” Harwin pressed, still fishing for a hole in my armor. “Got proof?”

“I’ve got vigilance,” I shot back. “Proof comes when it’s already too late.”

That finally shut him up.

This was basically how every meeting went...push, shove, parry, the old power struggle, but with words instead of claws. They’d prod for weakness, but I refused to give them the satisfaction. And every time I stood my ground, I got more people supporting me.

The younger crowd was starting to look at me differently. Not just Dominic’s stand-in. Someone who could actually lead.

“Next,” I said, turning a page with a little more snap than necessary. “Trade with Crescent Hollow. Their Alphas got thoughts about the iron shipments...”

“I’ll take care of it,” Dante cut in, voice all low and confident. “They listen to warriors, not diplomats.”

I raised a brow. “Since when are you both?”

He smirked. “Since you started sounding like one.”

And, wow, the laughter that broke out actually sounded real. Even Harwin’s face cracked. For a second, the stress in the room eased up.

In that breath of peace, I let myself actually look at Dante. He lounged two seats away, posture easy but always tuned in, hair all messy from drills. His eyes were like he was cataloging every twitch in the room. Something solid about him. Like he anchored the air.

“Fine,” I said, tearing my gaze away before it lingered and got obvious. “Go with the envoy tomorrow. Make sure they don’t think we’re desperate.”

He just nodded.

Meeting wrapped, the council filtered out in little clusters, voices fading down the hall. Some gave me a nod as they passed. Some didn’t bother. It didn’t matter. Respect earned slow sticks longer.

Dante didn’t leave. Of course.

“You killed it in there,” he told me as the last echoes faded.

“I was cornered,” I said, shrugging.

“That’s impressive,” he replied, stepping closer.

I gathered up my notes, sighing. “They’ll keep coming at me.”

“Then keep proving them wrong.”

He said it like it was obvious. It made me pause, just for a second. I turned, met his gaze.

And there it was again, that weird, magnetic thing. Not wild or explosive, like Mira and Dominic had been.

“You were born for this,” Dante said, quiet but certain.

It shouldn’t have hit me. But it did. Sunk past all my armor, right into the soft core.

I almost laughed. “I wasn’t born for anything. I just got good at surviving.”

He grinned. “Same thing.”

We both smiled. Silence stretched warm, heavy. Not awkward.

I looked away first. “You should rest before tomorrow.”

“You should learn how to take a compliment,” he shot back.

I had a reply on the tip of my tongue, but then the doors opened.

A messenger ran in, panting so hard, sweat slicking his collar. His eyes looked from Dante to me, then he bowed, holding out a sealed envelope.

“It’s from Dark Storm Pack, Luna,” he gasped. “For Alpha Dominic, but... addressed to you, too.”

The wax seal caught the light. Black wolf, ringed with lightning bolts. Luca’s mark.

Suddenly, I was ice.

I took the letter, fingers not quite steady, and broke the seal. The script inside was bold, fancy, and just oozed poison.

>To the Alpha and Luna of NightShade pack...

You really messed up this time. My bloodline’s honor? Trampled. Mira, my daughter, locked up, tortured, tossed aside like trash inside your precious fortress. You broke her bond, didn’t even pretend to do it right. So here’s your reward...war. Get your warriors ready. Dark Storm is coming.

—Alpha Luca, Dark Storm Pack

My hands shook so hard I almost dropped the letter.

The words just kind of smeared together. War. That one hits differently when it’s aimed right at your head.

Dante slipped in, reading over my shoulder. I could see his jaw clench. He looked like he wanted to punch a wall.

“He didn’t even wait a day,” he mumbled.

I let out this little laugh. “He’s been waiting for this. You know it.”

I folded the letter up, fingers stiff. “We need to tell Dominic. Now.”

Dante was already halfway to the door. “I’ll get more guards on the border. Scouts on the ridge. If they’re moving, we’ll spot them by tonight.”

“Dante...” I started, but he spun around, eyes sharp.

Guilt kicked in. “It’s my fault, isn’t it? All of this...”

“Stop.” He said. “This is on them. Their egos. Their stupid power games. Not you.”

I tried to nod, but it felt forced.

He left, yelling commands down the hall, voice echoing. I stared at the letter, the ink catching the firelight, looking way too final.

And then, silence. No council, no crackle from the hearth, just my own heartbeat thudding in my ears.

Funny thing, leadership. Dominic always said it gets lonely. Never really got it till now. You can have a castle full of allies, but that one word...war, and suddenly every decision is a gamble with real lives on the line.

Empty hall, but Mira’s memory crept back in, sly as a shadow. Her voice, soft and sharp...You’ll regret freeing me.

She had warned Dominic. I guess she wasn’t bluffing.