They both chuckle at us, and Jeremiah''s mindlink cuts through with a confident, "Challenge epted."


    By the time we settle down for dinner, the only people present in the room are the omegas attending to us. There''s no sign of Alpha David, Luna Margaret, or their daughter anywhere. That absence stokes a fire of irritation within me. I despise the pretentiousness of deliberately arrivingte, especially when it''s my own Alpha who caused the dy. Yet, I can''t be entirely angry—maybe this is partly on us. My emotions feel scatteredtely, more so than usual. Since Kennedy left, I''ve been quick to snap, but this feels different, deeper somehow.


    Just as that thought crosses my mind, the door at the far end of the dining room swings open. Entering together are a stunning woman and amanding Alpha whose aura I can sense even from here. Both wear smiles that seem genuine.


    Alpha David appears genuinely pleased to see us. Judging by the grandeur of his packhouse, I''d have expected irritation for wasting his time, but instead, he looks weing.


    "I''m so d you could make it," Alpha David says warmly. "I know the timing isn''t ideal, especially since you''ve just found your mate, Jeremiah, but it''s unavoidable. We need to understand exactly what we''re dealing with." He strides over, shaking Jeremiah''s hand firmly before pressing a kiss to the back of Rayna''s hand, which makes her giggle softly.


    After the introductions, Jeremiah raises a brow. "I thought we were meeting with your daughter as well?"


    Luna Margaret exchanges a brief nce with her husband. “She''s detained for now. Not exactly thrilled about needing assistance from another pack. Typical of a trueborn Alpha."


    Jeremiah chuckles knowingly. "I can rte to that very well."


    We all take our seats, and as I settle in, I scan the room with a growing sense of unease. The omegas are the only other upants, which strikes me as unusual. Normally, when foreign wolves visit, at least one warrior is present to provide a protectiveyer. You never know when a peaceful meeting might suddenly turn hostile. My wolf stirs restlessly in my mind, crawling beneath the surface since we crossed the territory line. My instincts re, but I can''t pinpoint the cause. Alpha David seems unconcerned, and his senses are sharper than oursbined.


    I inhale deeply, trying to soothe the tension coiling inside me. Just as calm begins to settle, a prickling sensation runs down the back of my neck, and the hairs stand on end. Someone is watching me. I nce around casually, trying not to look obvious, and my eyes lock with a woman standing in the doorway through which Alpha David and Luna Margaret entered. My heart skips a beat. No way. This can''t be real. What am I supposed to do now?


    "MATE!" my wolf screams inside my head, panic and disbelief swirling together. My mate can''t be the alpha heir of this pack.


    "Oh dear, I''m so d you could finally join us," her mother says with a sharp edge of sarcasm, clearly displeased by her daughter''s tardiness but unwilling to call her out outright.


    “Alpha Jeremiah, Luna Rayna, Beta Ben, Gamma Jason, and Delta Tommy," Luna Margaret announces, listing off titles with practiced ease, “let me introduce you to our daughter, the future alpha, ra."


    ra smiles, stepping fully into the room. Tworge warriors nk her closely, one on each side. So that''s why she waste-escorted by these imposing guards. My lungs feel tight, and I struggle to steady my breathing. My wolf growls low in my chest, restless and uneasy. I take another deep breath, exhaling slowly, but I can''t tear my eyes away from her. She blinks once, then turns, heading to the seat beside her mother,pletely ignoring me. How did she manage to dismiss me so thoroughly while I remained frozen in her gaze? What just happened here?