LOGINPenelope's POV The pack hall is packed with worried faces. Families line up for emergency supplies. Food, blankets, medical necessities. Everything we lost in the depot fire. I'm coordinating distribution with Isla and several volunteers. We've been at this for six hours straight. "Next family," I call out. A mother with three small children approaches. She looks exhausted and scared. "What do you need?" I ask gently. "Everything," she admits. "We had supplies stored at the depot. For winter. Now it's all gone." My heart breaks for her, for all of them. "We'll take care of you. I promise." I fill bags with food staples. Rice, beans, canned goods. Add blankets and basic medical supplies. "This should last two weeks," I tell her. "Come back if you need more before then." "Thank you, Luna," she says, tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much." "We're pack," I remind her. "We take care of each other." She leaves with her children as the next family steps up immediately. "How many
Penelope's POV The Inter-Pack Council meeting is tense from the start. Seven representatives from different packs sit around the table. Timothy and I face them from across the room. Ethan stands behind us. "Four attacks in two weeks," Councilor Hammond slams his hand on the table. "Your territory is becoming unstable, Alpha Blackthorn." "We're handling it," Timothy says calmly. "Are you?" Hammond challenges. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like chaos." "We're investigating," Timothy explains. "Gathering evidence and trying to build a case." "While your people suffer," another councilor adds. "While property burns and families live in fear." I can feel Timothy's frustration through the bond. He's trying to do this right, not rush into hasty decisions. "What would you have me do?" Timothy asks. "Round up everyone who ever supported my father? Imprison them without evidence?" "If necessary," Hammond says bluntly. "Your father ruled with strength, maybe you should learn
Timothy pov The Porter warehouse is last, the damage here is worse as the entire building collapsed. James Porter greets us with a grim face. "They used explosives. Professional grade, definitely not something you can buy at a store." "Military explosives," I conclude. "More evidence of professional soldiers." "They're not playing around," James agrees. "This was meant to send a serious message." "Message received," I say darkly. "And we're sending one back." We collect more evidence. More witness statements by the time we finish, it's late afternoon. On the drive back, Penelope reviews her notes. "Every attack happened between midnight and two AM. Every attacker wore the same gear. Every site had a spray-painted message." "They're organized and consistent," I observe. "Following a plan." "Someone's coordinating this," Penelope agrees. "Someone with resources and knowledge." My phone rings. Ethan again. "Please tell me you have good news," I answer. "I have news," Ethan h
Timothy's POV I wake up at dawn with a plan forming in my mind. Penelope is still asleep beside me, breathing softly. I watched her for a moment, grateful for her presence and strength. Then I carefully slip out of bed and head downstairs. My office is exactly as I left it last night. Laptop closed. Reports stacked neatly. I open everything and start working. The first priority is gathering information. I can't fight an enemy I don't understand. I pull up security footage from all three attack sites. Watch them repeatedly, looking for patterns. The attackers move with precision. Military training shows in every step. They know where cameras are positioned and avoid most angles. But not all. I freeze one frame. Enhance the image. There's a tattoo visible on one attacker's wrist. Partially hidden by their glove but visible for just a second. I screenshot it and send it to Ethan. Can you identify this tattoo? His response came five minutes later. Working on it, but it looks familiar
Penelope's POV "Desperate too," Elena adds. "Your leadership is gaining support. The reforms are working. They're running out of time to stop you." "So they'll escalate," I predict. "Take bigger risks." "Exactly," Elena confirms. "Which makes them more dangerous." Timothy pulls out his phone. "I'm calling an emergency pack meeting. Everyone needs to know what's happening." "Tonight?" Ethan asks. "Right now," Timothy corrects. "Send out the alert. Mandatory attendance for all ranking members." Ethan nods and starts texting. "What are you going to tell them?" I ask Timothy. "The truth," he says. "That we're under threat. The enemies of the pack are organizing so we need unity and vigilance." "Some won't like hearing that," I point out. "The ones who preferred your father's rule." "Then they can leave," Timothy says bluntly. "I won't force anyone to stay. But I won't tolerate sabotage either." His Alpha authority is showing. This is the leader the pack needs right now, someon
Penelope's POV The situation room is packed with pack security and council members and everyone looks tense. "What's going on?" Timothy asks, his Alpha voice coming out immediately. Ethan pulls up a map on the screen. "Three attacks in the past week. All on pack allies and trade partners." My stomach drops. "Three attacks? During our honeymoon?" "We didn't want to interrupt," Ethan says apologetically. "But they're escalating." He clicks through photos, they include burned buildings, destroyed vehicles, Injured wolves. "Who's responsible?" Timothy demands. "We don't know yet," Ethan admits. "No pack markings or identification, they move fast and disappear." "Rogues?" I suggest. "Organized rogues," Ethan corrects as he pulls up another image. "They're using military tactics, coordinated strikes with professional equipment." Timothy studies the map. "What's the pattern?" "All targets are connected to us," Ethan explains. "The Reeds' lumber business, the Ashtons' transport co
Timothy's POV "Do that and I'll destroy her," Dad says, his voice flat and matter-of-fact. "Her mother, her friends, everyone she's ever cared about. I'll make sure her life is such misery that she begs you to reject her again. And as for your mother—well, accidents happen in those facilities all
Penelope's POVThe Wintermoon brothers are waiting in the hallway when I finally leave Timothy's room to get coffee. All three of them—Kane leaning against the wall with deceptive casualness, Drake pacing like a caged animal, and Ryder sitting in one of the waiting room chairs looking bored.I cons
Penelope Pov"He's already paying." I pick up my coffee, turning to face them. "He's literally dying because of what he did. How much more payment do you want?""Justice," Ryder says, his eyes flashing. "Real consequences for his actions.""He testified against his father," I say, ticking off point
Penelope's POVI wake up to the sound of a camera shutter clicking. My eyes snap open to find Ethan standing in the doorway, phone raised, grinning like he's just discovered buried treasure."Delete that," I say, trying to sit up before the full reality of my situation hits me. I'm still in Timothy







