It was an ordinary Tuesday… until it wasn't.
I was in my small apartment, curled up in front of my desk, surrounded by anatomy books and fluorescent highlighters. Outside, the rain tapped softly against the windowpane, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the smell of old paper. Aidan had sent me a message earlier, with a couple of bad jokes about cell physiology, and for the first time in weeks, I felt… normal.
Then, someone knocked on the door.
I got up without hurry, imagining a package or a confused neighbor. But when I opened it, I found a tall man dressed in an impeccably dark suit. His face was a mask without emotion, and in his hands, he held an envelope as black as midnight ink.
"Sofía Díaz?" he asked in a neutral voice.
"Yes… Who's asking?"
"I bring an official delivery from the Northern Pack Alliance."
Time seemed to stop. My blood ran cold in my veins.
Without another word, he extended the envelope and a tablet to sign. I did so automatically, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. As soon as I finished, he turned and disappeared down the stairs as if he had never been there.
I closed the door with trembling hands and leaned against it for a second. The envelope burned between my fingers. I broke the seal clumsily, guided more by instinct than will.
Inside, a thick sheet of paper adorned with red wax and the Alliance's symbol: the moon split by a claw. I swallowed hard. My lips moved before I could stop them:
—"Sofía Díaz, recognized member of the Luna Rosa pack, is summoned to attend the Annual Interpack Unification Gala, to be held in the Grand Hall of the Cedar Shadows next Saturday at dusk. The attendance of Alpha-blooded members is mandatory. Sincerely, the Northern Alliances Council."
The ground seemed to shift beneath my feet.
This wasn't just a gala. It was a political move. A chessboard where pawns like us were carefully watched… and sacrificed if necessary.
All the alphas would attend. Including their heirs.
Including him. Gabriel.
Refusing was not an option. The order was clear. Although I no longer lived in the reserve, my blood was still tied to Luna Rosa. Daughter of an alpha. My presence wasn't a courtesy. It was a reminder. An assertion.
Laisa growled inside me, restless. Her voice was a wild echo vibrating deep in my chest.
"They're going to watch us. Observe us. Judge us."
"And tear us apart," I murmured, not knowing if I said it for her… or for myself.