Chapter 7

Ian

I woke up with a clear head and a strange sense of lightness in my chest. The pack felt calmer. More stable. As if a long-standing weakness had finally been cut away.

I rose from the bed and dressed, leaving Mira to sleep a little longer. The pack house was already buzzing with activity when I stepped into the main hall. Warriors trained in the courtyard, omegas hurried about their duties, and the air carried the familiar scent of breakfast being prepared. This was how it should be.

A commotion near the main gates caught my attention. One of my betas came rushing toward me, his face a mix of excitement and confusion.

“Alpha! A royal delegation has arrived from the capital. They carry a golden scroll bearing the Alpha King’s seal.”

My eyebrows rose. A golden scroll? That was rare. Only the most important matters warranted such formality. Perhaps my victory over the rogues had finally earned me the recognition I deserved.

“Bring them in,” I ordered.

The delegation consisted of five stern-looking royal warriors in formal armor, led by a high-ranking emissary. They bowed respectfully as they approached, but their expressions remained neutral. The lead emissary stepped forward, unrolled the golden scroll tied with crimson ribbon with ceremonial precision and began reading aloud in a clear, resonant voice so the entire hall could hear:

“By order of His Majesty the Alpha King, Alpha Ian of Shadowveil Pack and his Luna are formally invited to attend the Grand Royal Banquet at the Capital Palace in three days’ time, in celebration of the triumphant return of the long-lost Princess. Your presence is expected and required.”

A murmur rippled through the hall as my chest swelled with satisfaction. A royal banquet? This was the recognition I had been waiting for. My victory over the rogues has finally earned me favor at the highest level.

The emissary rolled the scroll back and held it out. “Alpha Ian, please kneel to formally accept the King’s invitation.”

I moved forward, but my mind was elsewhere, caught on the words and his Luna. The hall seemed to blur for a moment.

“Alpha?” the emissary prompted, a note of confusion in his voice.

I jerked slightly, snapping back to the present. “Yes. Of course.”

I knelt on one knee, accepting the golden scroll with both hands. ““I accept the invitation on behalf of Shadowveil Pack,” I said calmly. “We will be there.”

The emissary bowed. “We look forward to your arrival, Alpha. We shall now take our leave.”

As soon as the delegation departed, the hall erupted into excited chatter. My beta, Darius, stepped closer, lowering his voice.

“Alpha… is everything okay? You seemed lost in thought just now.”

I rose to my feet, gripping the scroll tightly. “Everything is fine,” I said curtly. “Prepare the best car and gifts for the journey. We leave for the capital in two days.”

Darius nodded, though his eyes lingered on me with mild concern. I turned and headed back upstairs without another word.

The moment I pushed open the door to the chambers, Mira stirred awake, sitting up in bed with a sleepy smile.

“Baby, where did you go to?”

I closed the door behind me and began pacing the room, the golden scroll still clutched in my hand. “A royal delegation arrived this morning. The Alpha King sent an invitation to a Grand Banquet at the capital in three days’ time… celebrating the return of the long-lost Princess.”

Mira’s eyes brightened. “That’s good news, isn’t it? The King is finally recognizing your victory.”

“Yes, but…” I stopped pacing and looked at her. “The invitation specifically says ‘Alpha Ian and his Luna.’”

“So? Is that why you're pacing the room restlessly?” she said as she got out of bed.

I stopped pacing. “How can I not, Mira? He specifically invited me and my Luna. Everyone at that banquet will expect to see her. What am I supposed to tell them when they ask where she is?”

Mira walked over to me and placed her hands on my chest, looking up at me with those soft, reassuring eyes.

“Ian, breathe.” Her voice was gentle, almost soothing. “You’re overthinking this. I am effectively your Luna now. I carry your child, until a few days ago.” She paused, slowly rubbing her belly.

“And besides, the pack already sees me as such. Why complicate things?”

I shook my head. “It’s not that simple, Mira. Deceiving the Alpha King is treason. If anyone finds out the truth—”

“Then don’t tell them the truth,” she cut in smoothly. “Just say your Luna is away on a spiritual journey or something. People disappear for months all the time in our world.”

She stepped even closer, her fingers tracing slow circles on my chest. “Besides, my father is very close to several powerful nobles at court. This invitation didn’t come only because of your victory. I made sure your name reached the right ears. This is our moment, Ian. Don’t ruin it with unnecessary guilt.”

I looked down at her, the unease in my chest easing slightly under her touch and her words.

“You really think we can pull this off?” I asked, my voice quieter now.

Mira smiled, beautiful and confident. “I know we can. You are the Alpha of Shadowveil. You just crushed an entire rogue army. No one will dare question you too deeply. And I’ll be right there beside you — exactly where I belong.”

She reached up and gently pulled my head down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

“Let the past stay in the past,” she whispered against my mouth. “Yara is gone. There’s only us now. Only our future.”

I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, letting her words wrap around me like a warm blanket. The tension in my shoulders gradually melted away.

She was right.

Yara was dead and buried in the forest. There was no bringing her back. This banquet was an opportunity, one that could elevate Shadowveil’s status forever.

I wrapped my arms around Mira’s waist and held her close.

“Alright,” I murmured into her hair. “We’ll do it your way.”

The unease was still there, buried deep.

But for now, I let her words silence it.