CHAPTER 7

Damon reached into his vest and pulled out a small piece of parchment that had been folded tightly. His fingers shook a little as he held it out to Alpha Levi. Levi took the note from him without saying a word.

He slowly opened it. I kept my eyes on my brother, watching his face carefully. At first, he looked calm, just like he always did. But as his eyes moved across the words, his expression slowly changed.

The warmth disappeared from his face. His eyebrows slowly pulled together, and a deep, frightening frown appeared on his face.

My mother and I both pushed our chairs back at the same time. We stood up so quickly that our chairs scraped against the floor. Neither of us said a word, but we both knew something was terribly wrong.

"Levi, what is it?" Mom asked. "What does the note say?"

Levi did not answer right away. His whole body became stiff, and his jaw tightened so hard that I could hear his teeth grinding together. Slowly, his fingers closed around the parchment. He squeezed it harder and harder until the paper was crushed into a small ball inside his fist.

“Alpha Darius Thorn of the Darkwood Pack is planning a secret war against us,” Levi finally said. “Our spy says he is not going to wait long. He plans to launch his first surprise attack on our east border in exactly twenty-eight days.”

A cold feeling rushed through my chest. The last bit of sleepiness from my hangover disappeared instantly.

The Darkwood Pack had been good neighbors for many generations. We traded goods in each other’s markets, and lived beside one another without fighting. Our packs had promised to keep the peace many years ago, even swearing those promises over the sacred blood stones.

Now, all of that peace was about to be destroyed.

“How dare Alpha Darius even think of doing such a thing?!” I shouted, slamming my palm onto the table. “We have helped his pack through every hard winter! We even sent them grain when their crops failed two years ago! I thought he was our ally, but he had been planning to betray us this whole time!”

Levi did not shout back. Instead, a dark and dangerous feeling seemed to fill the room around him. It was the powerful presence of a true Alpha. Everyone in the room could feel his anger, even though he had not raised his voice.

“I always suspected Darius was a snake,” Levi said quietly. He stared at the wall as if he could see through it. “That is why I placed a spy inside his castle three months ago. But I never thought he would act this quickly. Darius may be many bad things, but he is not stupid. He knows the Bloodmoon Pack has three times as many people as he does and twice as many warriors. He would never be foolish enough to start a war with us by himself.”

Levi slowly turned his head toward me.

“Darius Thorn is only making a move now because someone powerful is helping him,” he said. “Someone is giving him silver, weapons, or even more warriors.”

I nodded slowly, my mind racing through all the packs around us. I tried to think of who would be brave enough to attack our pack. “I agree. Darkwood is a small pack. If they fight us alone, our warriors could defeat them in just an hour. Someone else is clearly behind this. Someone is pulling the strings.”

Mom walked around the head of the table and over to Levi and gently placed her right hand on his shoulder.

“This is even more reason why we cannot wait for too long, Levi,” Mom said. “You must bring your wedding to Diana Adam forward and marry her as soon as possible. The Ironclaw Pack has the strongest defenses and the largest army in the northern region. Once you and Diana stand before the pack priest and exchange your vows, the Ironclaw warriors will become our allies through your marriage.”

Mom paused for a moment before continuing. “The moment Alpha Darius sees the Ironclaw banners flying beside ours at the border, he will think twice before attacking us. He would never dare to go against our pack if he knows the Ironclaw Pack is standing with us.”

Hearing Mom say those words felt like someone had punched me hard in the stomach. I stood there quietly, trying not to let anyone see how much her words had hurt me.

Here we go again, I thought bitterly, clenching my hands into tight fists behind my back. Mom was completely focused on making sure Levi married Diana. It seemed like nothing else mattered to her.

Every time someone mentioned their wedding, it felt like a slow poison spreading through my body. I loved my brother, and I knew our pack needed protection, but the thought of standing in the ceremony hall and watching Levi place a mate-ring on Diana’s finger broke my heart. Diana was supposed to be mine. She was the only woman I had ever truly wanted.

For years, I had dreamed about the day Diana would become my wife. But now, because of pack politics and the sudden threat of war, she was handed over to my brother as if she were nothing more than a piece of land being traded between packs.

I looked at Levi, silently hoping he would refuse. I wanted him to say no. I wanted him to tell Mom that he needed more time or that he did not want a marriage that was only being arranged because of a military alliance. I kept waiting for him to speak, praying that he would finally say the words I desperately wanted to hear.

“I have already thought about it, Mom,” Levi said softly, letting out a long, tired breath. He looked exhausted, almost older than his twenty-seven years. “I know what my duty is. If marrying Diana is what it takes to keep our women and children safe from Darius and his warriors, then I will do it without hesitation. I will send a message to Alpha Adam Black today and tell him that we need to hold the wedding before the end of the month.”

My heart dropped. It was over. Levi had already made his decision, and there was nothing I could say to change his mind. If I stood there and did nothing, Diana would become my brother’s wife, and I would have to watch them together every day for the rest of my life.

No, I swore silently, feeling a dark fire burn inside my chest. There has to be another way. I have to find a way to stop this wedding before it is too late. I could not let Diana become Levi’s wife.

Before I could speak or try to convince Levi to change his mind, the sound of footsteps came from the hallway outside.

Levi’s Gamma, Magnus, stepped into the room. He bowed deeply, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his side. His serious face made me wonder what had brought him here so suddenly.

“Alpha Levi,” Magnus announced. “Please forgive the interruption, but there are important visitors waiting at the front gates.”

Levi raised an eyebrow. “Visitors? This early in the morning? Who is it?”

“It is Alpha Adam Black of the Ironclaw Pack, my lord,” Magnus answered. He lifted his head and continued, “He has arrived with a few armed guards… and his daughter, Lady Diana.”

Mom blinked in surprise, while Levi’s eyes widened slightly.

My heart began beating wildly inside my chest, like a trapped bird trying to escape. Alpha Adam Black is here already? The Ironclaw territory was a ten-hour ride from our borders. If Alpha Adam Black and Diana had traveled all this way so quickly, then they must have a very important reason for coming.

Was he also planning to hurry the wedding between Levi and Diana? The thought made my stomach twist. I have to stop this. I cannot let this wedding happen.

“Bring them inside immediately,” Mom ordered, stepping forward with a bright smile. “I need to prepare tea and wine for our guests. This must be a sign from the Moon Goddess herself. We can decide the wedding date right here today!”