He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable and complex. Then he let out a soft scoff. "Fine. I'll go with you. But if it's proven that I am the lawful heir, then you, Kael Stormshadow, must never appear before me again!"
I nodded without hesitation. "Agreed."
We made our way to the Neutral Custodian House and sought out Sabine Goldvein, the Custodian of Seals.
She carefully retrieved a warded lockbox, her movements precise and reverent as she explained, "This lockbox contains the documents for the heir-seal trust that Alpha Fenris established for Kael Stormshadow during his lifetime, along with a trust seal-token. The blood-key for withdrawals and the scent-key for this lockbox are known only to the true heir."
He made a courteous gesture toward Alaric Ravenhart. "Please proceed, Alpha Ravenhart."
Alaric approached the warded lockbox, his head turning left to glance behind him, then tilting right, confirming no one stood at his back.
He extended his left hand, his smallest finger raised, while his forefinger pressed against the blood-key runes.
The seal emitted a series of soft pulses, and everyone's hearts tightened with each quickening beat.
My palms gathered sweat, and the heart within my chest seemed ready to leap free.
My lips kept silently repeating the words: The key will fail.
I couldn't be wrong. Uncle Fenris must have had reasons he couldn't speak of. This Alaric Ravenhart had to be a false heir. Uncle Fenris loved me.
Soon now. The truth would be revealed any moment. The deceiver would be exposed.
Uncle Fenris, your life's work—I can protect it for you...
As the final rune accepted his touch, the air seemed to freeze completely.
Everyone held their breath, afraid to miss the most crucial moment.
A soft chime sounded.
The warded lockbox's seal clicked and released.
The blood in my entire body turned to ice in an instant. A roaring filled my ears.
Around me, voices praising "Alpha Ravenhart truly is the heir" and "Alpha Ravenhart, please remember us lowly wolves" drifted to me in fragments.
And I stood there like a joke, pointed at and whispered about.
"He's gone mad with greed for territory. The Law-Speaker already confirmed Alpha Ravenhart as the rightful successor under pack law, but he refused to believe it. Now he's been completely humiliated, hasn't he?"