a

ve tea to the pack elders in the grand hall. It was a ritual

lent, powerful statement of her supp

mile playing on her lips as she served the elders and accepted their fawning compl

posture was erect, my movements deliberate. I approached the highest-ranki

he delicate

lled with disdain. "Kneel," she commanded, her voice loud en

archaic pack customs, she was not wrong. A low-ranking ne

ray, remained perfectly

sha's smile widen. She was enjoyin

ve my ignorance, Elder. But it is my understanding that the mate of the Alpha Apparent, t

ersonal respect into an insul

red. "How dare you?" she sputtered.

through the tension. "Elder Eulah, Ila is correct. She rep

ance against the elder on my behalf. Eulah, seething but outmaneuvered,

I proceeded to serve the oth

her attention back to Asha. "At least Asha has grace and skill. The embroid

se, basking in the attentio

asual, almost an afterthought. "I'm gla

universe of meaning. It was the tone

d. A flicker of unea

rned to me, a question in her eyes

I spent three months working on that piece. It was meant to be my wedding gi

the silent hall like st

lie!" she shrieked, her voice high and shr

n. "On all my major pieces, I have a little habit. A signature. In the bottom right corner, by the wolf's rear paw, I always stitch

the means of verif

, her eyes darting towards the wall whe

ous life, she had simply claimed all of my best work as her own, and she had done t

a, and the silent, beautiful artwork hanging on the wall. The