LOGINEzra’s POVLuca was repairing a gate hinge when I asked him to become Beta.He dropped the hammer.Not dramatically.It slipped out of his hand and landed beside his boot.He stared at me.“Say that again.”“I want you to be my Beta.”“Yes. That was what I thought you said.”He bent and picked up the hammer.Then put it down deliberately.“That seems like something you should have warned me about.”“Why?”“So I could leave.”“You wouldn’t.”“No.”I waited.Luca looked towards the gate.Workers were replacing one of the damaged braces while two guards argued about whether the new hinge sat straight.It did not.Neither seemed willing to admit it.“You have Harwick,” Luca said.“Harwick stays elder Beta.”“So you’ve decided one isn’t enough?”“I’ve decided I need different people doing different things.”Luca glanced at me.“That sounds almost intelligent.”“Thank you.”“It wasn’t a compliment.”“I know.”His expression became more serious.“Why me?”I had known he would ask.“Because y
The last eastern access group came back before dark.I watched them cross through the gate.Nobody was running.That felt important.The older wolf from yesterday walked near the middle of the group with his two children beside him. The younger one carried a wooden box against his chest. His sister had a bag slung over one shoulder that looked far too large for her.Ronan came through last.I looked at him.“Well?”He glanced behind him.“Everyone came back.”“That sounded almost positive.”“Don’t get used to it.”I smiled.The older wolf stopped when he reached me.“Thank you.”I immediately wanted to tell him we had only managed one day.Instead I looked at the children.“Did you get what you needed?”His son lifted the wooden box.“My things.”His father looked down at him.“You own three things.”“I needed all of them.”His sister rolled her eyes.The man looked back at me.“We checked the house. Secured the windows. Took some clothes.”“Anything wrong?”“Nothing new.”Not safe.N
Nobody spoke.That was worse than arguing.Everyone around the table was waiting for me to decide who carried the risk.Ronan’s report said the route was usable for patrols, not unrestricted civilian travel.Vivian’s figures said twenty-three households were still paying for that caution.Harwick’s order said full reopening required Ezra.Restricted access did not.I looked up.“We’re not reopening the route.”The woman opposite me tried to hide her disappointment.
Three wolves were waiting outside the smaller dining room when I finished breakfast.Not for Ezra.For me.I knew because when I stepped into the corridor, all three stood.“That seems ominous.”The oldest of them looked confused.“It isn’t meant to be.”“That helps slightly.”A woman beside him held a folded paper against her chest. The third wolf was younger, his left hand still wrapped from the attack.“We need a decision,” the woman said.I lo
Ezra came to my room after dark.He knocked once.Then opened the door before I answered.I looked up from the book in my lap.“That was an impressive commitment to asking permission.”“I knocked.”“You didn’t wait.”“I knew you were awake.”“Mate bond abuse.”His mouth moved.“That seems dramatic.”“You’ve spent too much time with Vivian.”“That is the cruelest thing you’ve said to me.”
Ezra’s POVThe eastern patrol route reopened that morning.Only part of it.Ronan had made that distinction three times.I suspected he thought I was going to hear the word reopened and immediately declare Black Moon Ridge repaired.I wasn’t.But the first patrol returning through the gate without having to detour around burned ground felt like something worth noticing.Aurora stood beside me in the lower yard.“You’re smiling.”“I’m not.”“That response sounds familiar.”“I h







