LOGINMason’s POVThe silence after the video ended was thick, heavy enough that even the chandeliers seemed to hum under its weight.I let it linger.Shock was useful. Confusion, even more so.“Because of everything that has happened tonight,” I said, my voice calm but carrying unquestionable authority, “I am making an immediate amendment to the structure of this Federation.”That alone caused a stir.Heads turned. Elders leaned forward. Alphas exchanged wary looks.“I am adding a new pack to the Federation,” I continued. “A pack whose sole res
Mason’s POVI clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to breathe.This was not how the night was supposed to unfold.I had planned every detail—every announcement, every reveal, every move meant to place Aria safely and undeniably at my side in front of the Federation. Frances Langford’s sudden appearance was a disruption I hadn’t accounted for, and there was only one person who would dare pull something like this without fear of consequence.My uncle.Harlan Larkin.I could feel his satisfaction radiating from where he stood, masked behind outrage and false authority. He thought he’d cornere
Aria’s POVDinner had barely settled into a fragile rhythm when I felt it—that subtle shift in the air, the instinctive tightening in my chest that warned me something was about to go wrong.The table assigned to us was impossible to miss. Mason sat beside me, his presence alone enough to quiet those within earshot. Across and around us were Sam, Julian, Holden Larkin, Quinn, Daxton, and Hailey. It looked like a family table to outsiders. To those who knew better, it was a battlefield disguised in crystal glasses and polished silverware.The table next to ours held familiar comfort—Jacob and Cecil, Alisher and his wife, Alpha Hugo and his Luna, and Hugo’s two betas. Seeing them nearby made me feel safe. A quiet reminder that not everyone in this hall wished us harm.
Mason’s POVWe had barely taken five steps into the banquet hall when a familiar voice cut cleanly through the murmurs of people watching us enter and clinking glasses.“Mason!”I turned just in time to see a blur of dark blonde hair and bright energy rushing toward me.“Hailey—” I barely managed to say her name before she almost launched herself at me.I caught her easily, one arm wrapping around her shoulders as she laughed and clung to me, her feet nearly lifting off the ground. At seventeen, she was still all sharp edges and restless fire, nothing like the calm political wolves surrounding us tonight.“It’s so good to see you, Mason!” she said, pulling back just enough to grin up at me, her eyes shining. “You’re impossible to reach these days.”I smiled despite myself. With Hailey, it was impossible not to. “When did you get here?” I asked.“Just last night,” she replied, bouncing slightly on her heels. “And before you ask—yes, I’m only here for one month. Mom insists I enroll in
Mason’s POVThe closer we got to the hotel entrance, the louder the world became.Cameras pressed forward like a living thing, flashes popping so fast they blurred into a constant white glare. Microphones stretched toward us, voices overlapping, desperate to be heard over one another. Every sound, every whisper, every breath of hostility or curiosity reached her now with unforgiving clarity.We didn’t slow. We never did.“Chairman Larkin!”“Alpha Mason!”“Are you together with her?”The question cut through the noise like a blade. I didn’t even look toward the source. I kept my eyes forward, my stride steady.“You’ll find out later,” I said calmly.That alone ignited another wave of chaos.“What does that mean?”“Is that confirmation?”“Alpha Larkin, is she your chosen mate?”Another voice shouted louder than the rest, sharp with provocation. “Are you considering the former Luna of Crimson Claw Pack as your new Luna?”I finally turned my head slightly, just enough for the cameras to
Mason’s POVOur limousine rolled to a smooth stop beneath the blazing lights of the Grand Silver Crown Regency Hotel, the most opulent five-star fortress in all of Silver Moon Pack territory. As planned, we were the last to arrive. I am the most important person in this Annual Federation Gathering after all.The moment the doors of the limo opened, the night exploded.Camera shutters snapped like gunfire. Flashes burst in rapid succession, turning the hotel entrance into a storm of white light and murmurs. Cameramen surged forward, shouting names, demands to look in their direction, overlapped, voices sharp with hunger for spectacle.Julian stepped out first, composed as ever, his expression unreadable. Sam followed, offering the crowd a polite nod that did nothing to slow the frenzy. Then Jacob emerged, tall and calm, his arm immediately offered to Cecil. She looked radiant, glowing with newlywed happiness, her smile serene despite the chaos.The four of them moved aside in practiced







