Valentina

My father instantly sprang into action, shapeshifting and howling to summon the members of his security force, which included my sweet Matteo. I stepped back as they shapeshifted to surround Gio.

I recoiled as my father let out a distinctive growl that signaled his demand for our pack to issue the ultimate punishment for Gio. Without so much as a blink, the wolves tore him to shreds. My throat dried, and my heart palpitated at the scene before me. Blood muddied in the dirt, and the sounds of Gio’s cries echoed across the field.

Beside me lay a dead Kaori.

Oh my God...

I didn't know yet what her death would mean for our potential alliance with Hidden Spear, but I knew it wouldn't be good.

I remained where I stood, stunned that something so horrific had happened on what was supposed to be such a wonderful day. Though my body remained motionless, my mind raced. Gio's attack on Kaori was inexplicable. Male wolves rarely ever threatened females, especially not over something as trivial as an amount of grain.

Gio’s wolf's mangled body lay in the dirt. My stomach roiled at the sight of his detached head. The others had shapeshifted back into their human forms, their nudity on display. Though no one batted an eye at their nakedness, a few Silver Ash pack members hastened forward with piles of clothes. Matteo stalked over to me, and I kept my gaze locked on his before he pulled me into a quick and tight embrace.

“Are you okay?” he asked. He ran his hands over my face and hair, examining me for injuries as if I'd been part of the scuffle. Physically, I was unharmed, but the carnage had left a lasting impact on me. He held my face to keep me from looking at Gio's wolf or Kaori's human dead bodies.

“I’m fine,” I breathed. “Just worried about the damage this will do to the packs’ harmony.”

Suddenly, my father pulled on my arm. I turned to him and stared into his hard gaze. “This is bigger than the pack,” he growled. “This is a diplomatic emergency that may lead to war.” He turned to the surrounding crowd and growled harsher, louder. “One of our own!” He pointed to the body of Gio’s wolf. "The rest of you should be ashamed that you let this happen!"

My father was right. His growl had called for the pack to punish Gio, but the rest of the pack should have prevented Gio from ever attacking Kaori in the first place. Hidden Spear could declare war on Silver Ash. They could have my father’s head for this—and mine.

Shit.

Cassius stalked away, and I followed him. Thankfully, he was clothed in a loose-fitting pair of pants. Although the carnage had happened quickly, Silver Ash’s leadership council gathered around us just as fast. We followed my father indoors and into the first room we reached. Antonio hastened close behind, and once we were inside, I shut the door.

“What happened?” one council member asked.

“There are two dead at the start of the Lunar Festival. Under your watch, Cassius!” another chimed in.

I cringed as I listened, looking between the council and my father, who had buried his head in his hands as he began to explain.

“Gio has always been eager to modernize the pack and build relationships with other organizations, despite being met with resistance. I thought I should leave it alone, even after we all agreed to do so, but that’s likely why he attacked Kaori with no warning.” My father sighed. “He viewed her as an invader, and we should've anticipated that he might do something like this. Hidden Spear is a traditionalist pack with a strong warrior tradition. They’re going to assume that Silver Ash invited Kaori to the festival for an ambush.”

“He’s right,” I interjected. The eyes of the room turned to me, and I rose to the occasion as I went on. “We must set up a meeting with Hidden Spear’s leadership to explain that it was a rogue attack. We need to tell them that Silver Ash condemned Gio’s behavior and swiftly performed the ultimate punishment. If necessary, we can offer a payment to them as an apology.”

“Yes,” my father said slowly, mulling over my words. “That’s a good idea.” I felt Antonio’s dagger glare on my side. “We could meet on neutral territory at Twin Rivers.”

“Ah yes, that was where the negotiation for the intra-pack peace treaty took place. Has it been a century now?” a council member asked.

“One century exactly,” I replied.

“Valentina,” Cassius said. He then requested for me to accompany him as his consigliere. Before I could agree, Antonio objected.

“It should be me! I’m the Alpha in waiting!”

My father cut his gaze at Antonio, giving him a look that I’d grown accustomed to receiving as a child whenever I acted insubordinate. “The meeting was Valentina’s idea. She should be the one to come.”

“But—”

“That’s enough, Antonio!”

Silence blanketed the room before and after my brother stalked out and slammed the door behind him. Another few beats of silence passed before my father audibly sighed.

“You’re dismissed.”

***

Morning came fast. The sun broke the horizon, and the Silver Ash leadership council stood behind us as we rehearsed our plan for how to save the pack from an all-out war. We discussed every detail, from our opening statements to what items to bring for the potential payment of apology. Then, without mulling on it any longer, my father shifted. He took off into the beyond, and I followed behind him.

The joy of shifting with my father was unlike any other =I knew. I mimicked his powerful strides and graceful leaps. I moved just as quickly as he did, and the sensations that came with my heightened senses took precedence over any uncertainty I had about how the meeting would go. The woodsy scent of the grass and trees enveloped me, filling my lungs with fresh air. My enhanced visual acuity to see details and colors that I couldn’t have seen with my human eyes felt as magical as the setting sun and rising moon. Being able to communicate with my father without using words made me feel connected to him on a deeper level. It was a silent bond that only existed when I was in this form. This world only existed when I was in this form.

We raced through the lush landscape, our bodies moving with the grace and speed of the wolves we had become. The wind whistled past me, and the ground beneath my paws pulsated with life. Sheer exhilaration filled my heart with boundless energy.

Eventually, we arrived at Twin Rivers, a sacred location where two parallel rivers intersected. Just a little beyond the river stood a cabin. Nudity was common among packs, but clothes were preferred for formal meetings, so most sacred locations had a cabin or two nearby for dressing.

As Alpha, my father went to get dressed first. I waited and admired my surroundings. The symbolism of the rivers wasn’t lost on me. It represented the unity of our packs, how we had come together despite our differences. Before the treaty, the packs had viewed each other as enemies. At least, that'd been the lore. Our ancestors chose laws and regulations over conflict, preventing senseless deaths. Since then, the packs in the region thrived, delving into agriculture, industries, and the arts. Our populations grew, and we all prospered. But the responsibility to safeguard this progress now rested on my father's shoulders.

When Cassius returned fully dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt and dark pants, I raced to the cabin to change next. Trunks of clothes lined the small room, some neater than others. I shifted and quickly searched for something to wear before throwing it on. Thankfully, I’d first found a bra and breast binding. Then, after finding something similar to what my father had chosen, I emerged clad in a black v-neck shirt and dark pants to find him standing near the wooden lodge. The sight of it alone sent my heart palpitating. The building, standing in the distance at the center of the grassy plain, served as the meeting place for inter-pack negotiations.

When I joined him, we entered, and I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I exhaled. I had never been inside the sacred lodge before and marveled at how such a simple place had historically played a role in solving complex problems and maintaining peace. I had glued my eyes to the intricate carvings on the ceiling when I heard someone clear their throat. Following the sound, my gaze locked onto the stern-looking middle-aged man sitting at a wooden table with seven surrounding chairs. I quickly recognized the man as the fierce Alpha of Hidden Spear.

“Sunya,” my father said. He bowed slightly, and I followed, maintaining decorum. I held my bow just as my father did while he expressed his condolences. “We are deeply sorry for the loss of Kaori. Silver Ash did not intend for the Lunar Festival to begin with such carnage, but I am confident we can talk through a peaceful negotiation to maintain a productive relationship between our packs.”

After Cassius finished, he stood upright. I did, too, and locked eyes with Sunya for a moment too long before I blinked away. His hard gaze was a burden to bear.

What is he going to say? My heart palpitated as I waited. Say something, Sunya! C’mon…

“There is only one way that’s going to happen, Cassius … if the two of us settle this dispute like men, alone.” I looked between my father and the Hidden Spear Alpha as he stood. “The girl leaves,” Sunya finished.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the weight of Sunya's words hung in the air and lodged obedience in my throat. Was I really just going to leave my father to face this battle alone?

Apparently so.