When Rogan first established his annex-pack, I'd called in blood-debts from every ally I knew. My parents pulled every connection within the Nightclaw bloodline. His entire founding resources? My parents had pledged their territory rights as collateral for his blood-oath loan.
Back then, whenever Rogan mentioned any of this, his eyes would glow gold with emotion.
"Selene," he'd say. "I owe you everything. For the rest of my life, I'll make it up to you. I'll honor you as my Luna. I'll honor your pack as my own."
Now?
Now it was: "Selene. Yes, I relied on you. But that doesn't mean you get to let your bloodline look down on me."
I stared at this Alpha I'd loved for seven seasons. I'd told myself I would handle this calmly, with the cold dignity of my Nightclaw heritage. But hearing him speak, my chest seized so violently I could barely stay on my feet, my wolf howling with betrayal inside me.
Then Aria's voice cut through the haze, sharp with outrage.
"Un-fucking-believable. So what I'm hearing is you're a territory-climbing opportunist who used her bloodline to rise, and now that you've made Alpha, you've traded her in for a younger Omega?"
She stepped in front of me, jabbing a finger toward the Vulpayne woman.
"And you have the nerve to paint her as the villain in this scent-betrayal?"
"You really think you're something special, don't you?"
I watched Aria advance on the Omega, her wolf rising to the surface, ready to tear her apart.
"And YOU!"
"Scent-stealing wretch—prancing around like you've actually claimed something worth having!"
Aria Nightclaw thrust a claw-tipped finger toward the moonstone pendant glittering against the Omega's throat.
"Unless my senses have failed me entirely, that little treasure was purchased with MY packmate's tribute funds!"
Her hackles rose, a low growl building in her chest.
"Remove it and return it to her. Now."
She lunged forward. The Omega shrieked in terror, but Rogan seized Aria's wrist and flung her aside. She crashed into a carved wooden table, sending bone platters and drinking horns scattering across the stone floor. Then his roar echoed through the den:
"Selene!"
"Is THIS the conduct befitting your bloodline?!"
The Omega cowered against Rogan's broad chest, tears streaming down her delicate features like morning dew on pale petals—the very image of wounded innocence.
"Rogan and I share a true bond!" she whimpered.