Chapter 48
I stared out the window, watching the trees blur past as the vehicle climbed the last ridge. With every mile, the plan sharpened in my mind. Elena’s father had rejected my proposal to meet before the Alliance Summit.
Mason hadn’t even bothered to respond. But a face–to–face meeting couldn’t be ignored so easily. Maybe I could appeal to their sense of strategy, unity, shared survival.
And if that failed?
I’d see Elena.
As we crested the final hill, the terrain began to change. Moonstone territory was cleaner, more orderly–each tree trimmed back to the edge of the road, each light post standing at attention like soldiers on patrol. Even the pavement was newer, smoother. Strategic, well-
maintained. A statement.
We reached the first checkpoint a few minutes later. The Moonstone border loomed ahead
like something out of a dystopian novel. In the last few months, they’d fortified their
defenses and secured their border.
High fences crowned with barbed coils. Automated gates. Thermal scanners. Mounted cameras rotating on metal arms.
And guards–at least a dozen of them. Most in uniform. A few in wolf form, pacing behind the perimeter like shadows.
The car slowed as we approached. The tension in the car thickened, even though my driver didn’t say a word. He reached for the switch and rolled the window down, the scent of pine and ozone sweeping in like a wave.
“Alpha Derek of Silverclaw,” he said evenly, “here to speak with–”
Before he could finish, a guard stepped forward.
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“No entry. You don’t have an appointment with the Alpha, and Mason is unavailable.”
I leaned forward, resting an arm across the back of the driver’s seat. “I’m not here to talk
to Mason.”
The guard’s eyes flicked to me. “Then who are you here for?”
“The Alpha. If he isn’t available…Elena.”
A pause. “Princess Elena is unavailable as well.”
So. She was well protected from everything. And everyone. Even me.
My jaw tightened. “Let me guess. Also doesn’t have time for unannounced visits.”
The young warrior’s leather gloves creaked as he wrapped his hand more tightly around his
weapon. The walkie talkie on his belt gave a crackle.
“No, Alpha,” he said politely. “She’s just under strict orders not to engage with anyone
from Silverclaw without clearance.”
I stared at the young guard, sizing him up. Too young to be more than a pawn, but too
confident not to be a trained soldier. His orders were real.
A day ago, I would have thought that those orders were meant to protect her from me, and me alone. Now, I wasn’t so sure. Maybe they were right to protect her from my pack.
My driver shifted uncomfortably.
“Very well,” I said at last, my voice flat. “We’ll turn around.”
The guard.waved us off without another word.
We pulled a slow U–turn, the car crawling forward, tension stretching out in every direction.
That’s when I saw him.
Logan.
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He stepped out of the guardhouse casually, holding a cup of coffee like he had all the time in the world. His white shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, tan skin tanned from summer patrols. He looked like the picture of Moonstone perfection. Even if he wasn’t Moonstone.
And he was smirking.
Not at the driver. Not at the situation.
At me. Our eyes locked through the window. His smirk widened.
It was smug. Confident. Like he knew something I didn’t. Like he’d won.
I didn’t look away. I refused. But I could feel my fingers curl into fists
There were rules. Politics. Fragile threads we all had to pretend we cared about. But if there hadn’t been… If I’d been in my wolf form…
Erebus would’ve lunged.
The car pulled back onto the road, and I sat in silence.
I wasn’t stupid. Logan knew exactly when I’d show up. He’d made sure I saw him. And he’d made damn sure I couldn’t get past those gates.
This wasn’t about courtesy anymore.
It was war.
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