Third Person’s POV


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    “If you lose your spot as Captain of the Guard, you’ll never get back up. You’ll spend the rest of your life watching that she wolf soak up the glory that should’ve been yours.”


    Raven stood up, sliding a business card across the table toward Ulrik.


    “Lycan Erasmus wants to use you to keep them in check, but you aren’t his only option. If you say no, he’ll find someone else in a heartbeat. But if you want payback? Alpha Howell can make that happen.”


    Ulrik felt his scalp go numb.


    The mastermind of the treason case, Madison, hadn’t even faced his final sentencing yet, and these people were already making moves? Was Alpha Howell really just a spineless loser? What the hell was he actually nning?


    Ulrik knew his own limits. In front of a paranoid, ruthless King like Lycan Erasmus, he didn’t have the stomach to y spy. Fear effectively steamrolled his greed.


    He scrambled to his feet, nearly knocking his chair over.


    “I’m sorry… I have other pack business to deal with. I think it’s best if you leave.”


    Raven stared at him, stunned, as he was practically shoved out of the Bloodmoon territory.


    On the drive back, Raven started questioning his own intel. Did Ulrik really have zero ambition? The man had to know what the Captaincy meant for his future.


    Before this meeting, Raven had done a deep dive into this disgraced Alpha’s background. But after being shut down like that, he wondered: had someone else gotten to Ulrik first?


    Raven’s mind raced. Was it Ironw?


    No. Alpha Tad was stuck at the southern border, and Leon was a total yboy–he didn’t have the brains for high–stakes political maneuvering.


    That left only one possibility: Ulrik simply didn’t believe in Silverlight’s power.


    After all, for years, Alpha Howell had been theughingstock of the noble circles. Who would believe a “gutter rat” like him could pull Lycan Erasmus’s strings?


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    Raven rubbed his temples.


    Hed warned Howell a long time ago to start absorbing Madison’swork, but Howell had been too scared of Madison to pull the trigger.


    Now, Howell had no help aside from a few low–profile loyalists, which was why he’d taken the massive risk of sneaking into the Western Tribe himself to talk business.


    There was something else bothering Raven: rissa had already sent people to Silverlight.


    Howell’s absence was no longer a secret, yet the Pce was eerily quiet. No raids, no arrests. Lycan Erasmus was a control freak–Howell’s move was a direct challenge to his throne. This silence felt like walking through a thick fog every step felt like it might lead off a cliff.


    Inside the Pce study, after listening to the agent’s report, Lycan Erasmus stopped flipping through his files, a brow twitching upward.


    “Did you get a recording of the conversation?”


    The agent bowed.


    “No, Lycan Erasmus. Their territory’s barrier blocked the audio. But I can tell you it wasn’t a friendly chat. When Alpha Ulrik kicked him out, his face was livid and his aura were spiking.”


    Lycan Erasmus nodded, satis


    “And the man? Is he confirmed to be one of Luna Skye’s people?”


    “Negative.”


    The agent didn’t hesitate. “I ran every member of the Silverlight Pack. He’s not one of theirs.”


    Lycan Erasmus idly spun


    his


    pen.


    “So, they’re finally losing their patience. Keep Ulrik under 24/7 surveince. If he meets this guy again, take them both down.”


    In the ckthorn packhouse, Caldwell listened to the field report and looked at Lance, his brow furrowed.


    “Raven… he even managed to fool Ulrik?”


    “Lance, it looks like this ‘Raven‘ from the Blue Abyss is a master of disguise and psychological warfare.”


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    Lance’s eyes were deep and unreadable. “Do you think Ulrik turned him down because he thinks Silverlight is weak, or because be genuinely wants to stay out of the mud?


    Caldwell thought it over.


    Thinking Silverlight is useless is part of it. But thostly, it’s fear. If Silverlight can actually do what they promised, it means Howell has been ying everyone for years. That’s a level of conspiracy Ulrik isn’t brave enough to touch.”


    “The Bloodmoon can’t handle another scandal, bet he’s just hoping for a steady paycheck and a quiet life in the Pce. Lycan Erasmus knows that he knows Ulrik has nowhere else to go, which makes him the perfectpdog.”


    Lance nodded. “Any word from the Western Tribe?”


    “Nothing yet… we’re still waiting.”


    Two dayster, Craig walked in holding an intercepted, high–priority cable. His face was grim as he handed it to Lance.


    “It’s happening. Lycan Orion of the Western Tribe is sending an official diplomatic delegation. The formal papers will hit the desk within forty–eight hours.”


    Lance’s expression darkened as he read the cable. It was finally time.


    A few dayster, the Pce issued a decree that rocked every pack in the kingdom: The Elite Royal Guard was officially independent of the Ironthorn Legion. They would report directly to Lycan Erasmus, and Adide no longer held authority over them.


    Ulrik was to remain the Captain. He couldn’t believe his luck.


    Thinking back to his meeting with Raven, he wondered: did Silverlight actually pull this off? But if they did, he realized he was currently standing on the edge of a very sharp de.


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    <strong>Olivia Harris</strong> is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.