Clothes from the wardrobe, contents of every drawer, books and documents—all scattered across the floor.
The matriarch's voice came through the ward-stone's hearing, sharp as broken glass.
"Search carefully! It must be hidden here somewhere!"
"Mother, this doesn't feel right..." Kael's voice wavered with uncertainty.
"What's wrong about it? That's shared mating property! What right does she have to keep it all?"
"But Moonblessing tokens aren't marked with names..."
"Exactly why we need to find it!"
Morwenna's voice rose even higher.
"Whoever holds it, claims it! Go search the sleeping chamber again!"
Cold spread through my entire body.
I knew my mate's pack valued resources above bonds, but I never imagined they would go this far.
Thankfully, I had kept the blessing token on my person all along.
Vesper, Kael's sister, tore apart Liri's toys and called out impatiently.
"Brother, there's really nothing here."
"Keep looking!"
Morwenna commanded from across the room.
"Flip the sleeping furs! Pull out every drawer and check behind them!"
Their actions were no different from territory raiders.
After two hours of destruction, they finally left our den, reluctant and empty-handed.
I preserved the ward-stone recording.
All of this would serve as evidence later.
My mother approached with a bowl of forest berries.
"What are you watching? Your face has gone pale."
Her health had always been fragile, and I refused to let anything disturb her peace.
"Everything is fine. Let us watch the Moonrise Celebration together."
As the hour approached midnight, a commotion erupted beyond our threshold.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Someone was pounding against the ward-sealed door with violent force.
I peered through the window toward the courtyard below. Kael Stormhart's traveling carriage sat at the entrance to our den.
Dread coiled in my stomach. I immediately activated the ward-stone's vision recording.
The moment my father unlatched the door, Kael burst through. Behind him came his mother, his brother, and the rest of their pack.
"The Moonblessing token! Hand it over!"
Morwenna Duskthorn demanded before anyone could draw breath.
I met her gaze without flinching.
"My Moonblessing. Why should I surrender it to any of you?"
"That blessing belongs to the mated pair!"
Morwenna's voice rang with false authority.
"Kael is entitled to half!"
I lowered myself into a chair with deliberate calm.