A sharp,searing pain tore through his chest.He continued to search the box,finding two official Pack documents at the bottom.One was the familiar Severance Decree that he recognized from a month ago—the very document he knew was circulating.

But the other document hit him with the force of an Alpha blow.

The other document was a Pup Status Report from the Pack Healer’s Den.

It clearly stated the horrifying truth:[Fetus Status:6 cycles of pregnancy.Termination/Reabsorption required due to maternal trauma.]

There was also a final,damning note written in Elara’s elegant script on the report.

[Ryder,when you were focused entirely on the wolf you chose,our pup sensed the trauma and chose to leave the Claim.This may be her final way of commanding me to live for myself for the rest of my cycles.]

Ryder’s ears suddenly roared,and his vision went dark with utter,primal shock.He tightly grasped the report,his fingers shaking uncontrollably.How could this be possible?When had Elara conceived?Why was his Alpha sense so completely blind?

He frantically grabbed the Severance Decree and saw the date:one moon cycle ago.How could he have signed such a life-altering document?

A memory suddenly flashed back—that afternoon a month ago.

“Alpha,I just finalized the new Clan trade pact.This is the contract.You need to secure your authority here.”

Elara had handed him the document.

He had signed it without even a glance,distracted by Lyra’s latest appeal.He had even smiled,saying,“Another quick win,Mate?You are truly efficient.”

In an instant,countless overlooked details slammed into his consciousness.

Ryder remembered driving Lyra to the Keep and running into Elder Weston and Elara.He vividly recalled that Beta Felicia’s Mate had no first love and had not initiated a divorce,yet Elara had said she was helping with a severance.

And over the past moon cycle,Elara’s presence had slowly evaporated from the Den,systematically replaced by Lyra’s scent markers.

Then,Ryder remembered the day at the Healer’s Den.Elara’s ghostly pale face,the servant’s fearful glances.Ryder grabbed his car keys and burst out of the Den,frantically dialing Elara's number.

The call failed to connect.Instead,a cold,automatic female voice informed him that the number was no longer in service!