The righteous wolf

The great doors of the Nightbane council hall stood open.

Moonlight streamed through the towering windows.

Kaelen entered without haste.

His footsteps echoed softly through the vast chamber.

Across the room, someone was already waiting.

Draven Thornclaw.

The rival Alpha sat comfortably in one of the council chairs as though the castle belonged to him. One leg rested over the other while a crystal glass of deep crimson wine swirled between his fingers. The bottle beside him was already half empty.

He didn’t rise.

Instead, a lazy smile curved across his lips.

“You always did keep the finest wine in the kingdom.”

Kaelen stopped a few paces away.

“And you always did help yourself to it.”

A faint chuckle escaped Draven.

“I’ll take that as permission.”

Steffens remained quietly beside the entrance, watching the two Alphas with careful eyes.

Few people ever witnessed them together.

Both ruled powerful packs.

Both commanded absolute loyalty.

Both had spent years maintaining an uneasy peace built upon mutual respect rather than friendship.

Kaelen crossed the room and poured himself a glass before settling into the chair opposite Draven.

“What brings the Alpha of Thornclaw to Nightbane?”

Draven raised his glass.

“Politics.”

Kaelen lifted an eyebrow.

“And curiosity.”

Their glasses touched with a quiet clink.

For several minutes, they spoke of border patrols, rogue wolves roaming the northern forests, merchant routes, and the growing human settlements surrounding Ashgrove.

Nothing unusual.

Nothing important.

Yet every sentence carried hidden meaning.

Every glance measured the other.

Finally, Draven leaned back with an amused smile.

“Tell me something.”

Kaelen waited.

“How long do you intend to rule alone?”

Silence stretched between them.

Draven continued.

“The righteous wolf.”

His golden eyes gleamed beneath the firelight.

“The Alpha who never breaks his word.”

A small smile appeared on Kaelen’s face.

“I wasn’t aware I had earned a title.”

“You have.”

Draven lifted his glass.

“The righteous wolf.”

He took another slow sip before adding casually,

“But even the righteous wolf cannot ignore nature forever.”

Kaelen said nothing.

“A kingdom without a Luna is incomplete.”

The words drifted through the chamber like smoke.

Steffens remained perfectly still.

Draven rested an elbow on the arm of his chair.

“And without a Luna…”

His smile widened.

“…you have no right to drag the Luna of Fire into your kingdom.”

The council hall fell silent.

Only the crackling fire disturbed the stillness.

Kaelen’s expression remained calm.

“What makes you believe such a Luna exists?”

Draven shrugged.

“Call it instinct.”

He slowly rotated the wine inside his glass.

“Or perhaps…”

His eyes lifted.

“…experience.”

Kaelen’s gaze met his.

“What experience?”

Draven smiled to himself.

“I happened to meet an interesting girl today.”

Steffens felt the atmosphere shift.

Barely.

Almost imperceptibly.

Kaelen simply took another sip of wine.

“What girl?”

Draven answered as though mentioning the weather.

“Luna of fire.”

Time seemed to stop.

Inside Kaelen’s chest…

His heartbeat stumbled.

Ashbourne.

Yet outwardly…

Nothing changed.

His face remained unreadable.

Years of discipline had taught him to bury every emotion beneath absolute control.

Only his fingers tightened slightly around the stem of the wine glass.

Draven noticed.

A heartbeat.

A breath.

A fraction of hesitation.

Enough.

His smile slowly faded.

“You didn’t know.”

Kaelen remained silent.

Draven leaned forward.

“I found her at Madine University.”

Another pause.

“Your university.”

For the first time since entering the hall…

Kaelen looked directly into Draven’s eyes.

It lasted only a moment.

But it was enough.

Understanding flashed across Draven’s face.

He truly hadn’t known.

A quiet curse echoed inside Draven’s mind.

Fool.

He had revealed too much.

Kaelen set his glass down gently.

“I wasn’t aware the governor of Ashgrove had begun visiting universities.”

Draven recovered almost instantly.

“I happened to pass by.”

His tone remained casual.

“Traffic.”

“The wind changed.”

“I became curious.”

Neither Alpha spoke after that.

The silence between them felt heavier than any argument.

Draven stood first.

“I believe I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

Kaelen inclined his head politely.

“Safe travels.”

The two Alphas exchanged one final look.

Neither trusted the other.

Neither underestimated the other.

Draven turned and walked toward the great doors.

Steffens stepped aside to allow him passage.

As the doors closed behind him, the smile vanished from Draven’s face.

His jaw tightened.

He had confirmed exactly what he feared.

Kaelen knew something.

And now…

He had unintentionally pointed him toward the girl.

Outside, his Beta hurried after him.

“Alpha?”

Draven didn’t slow.

“We’re leaving.”

His Beta frowned.

“Did you learn anything?”

Draven looked once toward the towering castle behind him.

“I learned…”

His voice darkened.

“…that I spoke too much.”

The carriage disappeared into the night.

Back inside the council hall, the warmth seemed to disappear with it.

Kaelen remained standing in silence.

His eyes rested upon the moon beyond the tall windows.

For twenty-five years he had believed fate would forget the promise made beneath the forest.

Instead…

It had led the child straight into his own university.

“Steffens.”

His Omega stepped forward immediately.

“Alpha.”

“I want every admission record from Madine University.”

Steffens nodded.

“Find Aria Ashbourne.”

“I want her department.”

“Every course she’s registered for.”

“The names of every lecturer assigned to her class.”

“It will be done.”

Kaelen’s expression hardened.

“And send a directive to the dean.”

Steffens waited.

For a long moment…

Kaelen said nothing.

Then—

“I’ll be lecturing this semester.”

Steffens blinked.

“…Alpha?”

“I haven’t taught in years.”

“I know.”

“The university already has lecturers.”

“I know.”

Steffens hesitated.

“What reason shall I give them?”

A faint smile crossed Kaelen’s face.

“The truth.”

Steffens frowned.

“And what truth is that?”

Kaelen turned toward the moonlight once more.

“I suddenly remembered…”

“…how much I enjoy teaching.”

Steffens stared at him.

He had served Kaelen for fifteen years.

Never once had the Alpha returned to a lecture hall.

Never once had he shown the slightest interest in teaching again.

Yet tonight…

Everything had changed.

Completely unaware…

Aria Ashbourne smiled as she arranged her admission documents for the beginning of her first semester.

She had no idea…

Her newest lecturer had already chosen her as the most important lesson of his life.