"Lyra Nightshade, you're nothing but a minor captain of the Tracker Den. Is this how you teach your subordinates to behave? Do you have any respect left for me as your Alpha?"
"This territory bears the Frostveil name. It was built entirely with Frostveil resources! I see now that you've all forgotten your place in the hierarchy. Effective immediately, the Tracker Den is disbanded. Lyra, you wanted to abandon your post? Fine—then never return!"
I didn't even have a chance to speak.
Aurora expelled me and everyone under my command from the pack's communication channel.
A private message from Marcus Frostveil arrived moments later.
"Lyra Nightshade, even though you completed twenty working days this moon-cycle, your abandonment of post today means your entire monthly ration is forfeit. Don't bother coming to the Central Den for formal release procedures—you've been banished."
Reading those words, I allowed myself a quiet smile.
They say the Discipline Keeper is nothing but the Alpha's loyal hound.
Once next moon-cycle arrives and I become Alpha, I'll be curious to see whose command that hound answers to then.
After the Tracker Den was dissolved, Aurora refused to offer any compensation. Instead, she withheld the ration allotments owed to every single one of us.
A wave of guilt washed over me. I was about to send a message to the Tracker Den's private pack-link when I noticed my pack members flooding the channel with words of comfort.
"Den Mother, let them disband us! We'll follow you anywhere!"
"Our leader's tracking skills are unmatched in three territories—why should we slave away for that Aurora Frostveil?"
"Why even seek another pack? I say our Den Mother should establish her own territory!"
Warmth spread through my chest, and I addressed them all: "This territory doesn't belong solely to Aurora. Half of it is mine by right. She claims to banish all of you, but I refuse to accept it. Consider yourselves on paid leave from pack duties—next moon's rations will still be distributed!"
The pack-link erupted with excitement at my words.
Everyone wanted to know how I planned to turn the tides, when the power within our pack would finally shift.
But at such a critical moment, I couldn't reveal anything.
"Soon. When Aurora grows restless enough to summon us back, that's when everything will fall into place."