He froze for a heartbeat, his wolf's surprise bleeding through his carefully controlled expression. Then he snatched the sealed documents and shredded them with his claws, scattering the pieces at my feet like fallen leaves. "You think a few forged scraps prove anything?"
Morwen rushed forward to support her son, her aging wolf's hackles raised beneath her skin. "Just go, will you? The Winter Moon Festival is almost here—we won't petition the pack tribunal."
I almost laughed at the absurdity. "You won't press charges?"
She faltered, a flicker of guilt crossing her weathered face, but she lifted her chin with false pride. "That's right. Now leave—unless you'd rather be dragged out by the enforcers."
Kael stepped closer, his dominant scent pressing against me as he lowered his voice to a threatening growl. "Lyra. I told you through the pack-link to stay out of this."
"Raven gave the Ashvale bloodline a son. My mother is overjoyed at the prospect of a male heir—if you make a scene and she suffers a moon-sickness collapse, that burden falls on you."
"Return to the den quietly, and you can still carry the title of Ashvale Luna. Officially."
I used to love the way his scent wrapped around me—cedar and wild rain. Now it made my wolf recoil in disgust.
A small voice cut through the gathered pack members: "Mommy!"
Every nerve in my body went taut. My wolf surged to the surface as I spun around.
Seren stood at the edge of the onlookers in her pup-school uniform, her little pack-satchel bouncing as Rowan guided her through the gawking wolves.
"Mommy, why are you on the ground?" Her keen young eyes found the blood on my knee, and tears spilled instantly down her round cheeks. "Mommy, you're hurt!"
My heart seized. I scrambled to my feet, desperate to reach her first.
Too late.
Raven recognized her in an instant—caught her scent on the wind. She lunged forward with predatory speed and grabbed Seren by her small shoulders. "So it's you!"
Then she whirled on me and cracked her palm across my face with enough force to make my ears ring. "You knew your ugly little runt wasn't good enough for my son—so you decided to seduce my mate instead!"
The blow sent white spots dancing across my vision.
Seren burst into terrified sobs, her young wolf whimpering beneath her skin. She looked frantically at Kael, her voice breaking with confusion. "Daddy… why is she hitting Mommy…"