Chapter 1

The Pack Elder frowned at me.

"Maeve, the Academy slot you earned by ripping through three rounds of death matches soaked in your own blood, why is someone else's name on it?"

I found out on the last day of the posting.

My Royal Guard Academy recommendation, the one I'd torn my body apart to earn, had been signed over by Silas. To Lyla Voss.

An Omega with no combat record.

I found Silas outside the main hall, leaning against the stone wall, arms crossed.

"Lyla's pack was wiped out," he said without looking at me.

"She has nothing. No protection, no rank. Without the slot, she's dead."

"You're strong enough to fight your way in through the The Blood Trials"

I stared at him. Silent. Jaw locked.

He frowned, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a leather pouch heavy with gold coins. He tossed it toward me.

"Fine. I'll fund your training for the next four years. Private instructors, weapons, potions, all of it. Consider it me buying your slot. Happy now?"

I looked at the pouch on the ground between us.

So that was it.

The slot I'd bled for. The midnight hunts. The shattered bones that healed wrong. The hours sparring until my muscles tore from the bone.

In his eyes, it was just a bag of coins. A charity toss to a stray.

My inner wolf snarled. I forced her down.

I didn't pick up the pouch. I turned and walked away.

Outside, it started to rain.

Silas's voice went cold behind me.

"What the hell is your problem now? You scavenge leftover bones at that meat shop every day for scraps. I'm handing you gold and you're acting like you're above it?"

My steps slowed.

I turned my head. Looked at his face through the blur of rain.

Fifteen years of loving him. Fifteen years of thinking he was mine.

It all rotted through in that single moment.

So I smiled.

"Sure. Think whatever you want."

...

I'd barely made it back to the meat shop when Bree's voice crackled through the mindlink.

Maeve, I just heard about the roster. How the hell is Lyla on it? Did Silas do this?

I let out a bitter laugh. I talked to him.

What did he say?

He said he bought my slot.

Silence in my head.

Then Bree's voice came back, raw with rage. He's a piece of shit.

I said nothing.

What are you doing right now?

Skinning elk.

Stop skinning elk! Go to the Elder Council and raise hell! That slot is yours! Do you not remember what you sacrificed for it?

I shook my head, kept working the knife.

It won't matter.

How can it not matter? It's a royal decree!

If Silas can override it once, he can override it again. His father is the Alpha. The Elders won't go against them.

More silence.

Finally Bree said, I just heard from the other females. Silas booked the grand feast hall for Lyla. Full celebration. The whole pack is invited.

Okay.

Maeve...

I gotta go. Customer just walked in.

I shut the mindlink. A wolf in human form walked into the shop with a fresh kill that needed butchering.

I grabbed the carcass and got to work.