Chapter 44

The tension within the pack had been building since Dante’s return. It hung in the air like an unspoken challenge, simmering just below the surface. Every day, I felt it in the wary glances cast his way, in the careful silences that followed when he entered a room. It wasn’t outright rebellion—at least, not yet—but it was enough to make it clear: Dante’s presence was a disruption the pack wasn’t prepared for.

I knew this would happen. Trust, once broken, wasn’t easily mended, especially in a pack that had endured as much division as ours. Yet, I had made my choice. Dante had proven himself to me, and I would not waver in my decision to keep him here. The pack might question him, might question me, but I wasn’t about to let that shake my authority.

The morning sun barely touched the frost-laden ground as I made my way toward the council’s meeting room. The weight of what lay ahead pressed on my shoulders, but I carried it as I always had—with strength, or at least the appearance of it. Today, we would discuss Dante’s place in the coming battle, and I knew not everyone would agree with my stance. But I wasn’t walking into that room to justify myself. I was walking in as their Alpha.

When I entered, the atmosphere was already tense. Osric stood by the window, his arms crossed, his gaze distant. Celia sat at the table, her hands folded neatly in front of her, a picture of calm amidst the brewing storm. The other council members trickled in shortly after, each bringing with them a distinct energy—some neutral, others charged with skepticism.

“Elara,” Osric began as I took my seat at the head of the table.

“Before we start discussing strategy, we need to address the elephant in the room: Dante’s presence.” I held his gaze, my expression steady.

“Go on.”