I spoke plainly, without ceremony: "So you're saying you'll honor your promise and grant me my reward? Though I should mention—ten thousand marks hardly seems sufficient anymore. I've heard even the lowest-performing scouts received eight thousand. I'm the backbone of the Tracker Den. I won't accept less than fifty thousand."

If she acknowledged her wrongs now and made amends, perhaps there was still a path forward.

I could allow her to remain Alpha, to keep her position at the head of the pack. All she had to do was give me the tribute shares I was owed.

But Aurora's next words extinguished that hope entirely.

"Of course I'll reward you. Naturally. But it will need to take a... different form."

A dark premonition coiled in my chest.

Aurora reached across her stone desk and lifted two gnarled roots, their earthy scent sharp even from a distance. She held them out to me with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Ginseng. Wild healing roots.

As if this could possibly compensate for everything she owed me.

"Here, take these."

I stared at her, confusion clouding my thoughts.

Aurora Frostveil leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear as she whispered, "What you're holding right now are two prime moonroot stalks—the kind that fetch ten thousand marks per half-weight at the healer markets! These two together make a full weight. Take them to the herb traders in the merchant quarter, and if the market favors you, you might even get more than ten thousand marks!"

Aurora wore an expression that suggested I'd just received some tremendous windfall.

When I remained frozen in place, she added, "I don't share treasures like these with just anyone. Only my dearest pack-sister—Lyra Nightshade. Let's put the past behind us, shall we? Consider these moonroots my way of making amends!"

I laughed.

How could we possibly leave the past behind?

Not only would I bring it up—I intended to drag every last detail into the light for all to see.

I pressed down every emotion churning inside me and forced my lips into something resembling a smile.

"Thank you, Alpha."

"What's with the formality! We're pack-sisters, you and I."

Pack-sisters? We were clearly Alpha and subordinate. Nothing more.

Though by next moon-cycle, our positions would be reversed.

I carried the two small moonroot stalks back to my workstation in the Tracker Den.