Chapter 3
I stood at Emma's bedroom door, watching her small chest rise and fall with each labored breath. The morning sunlight filtered through her curtains, casting a golden glow on her flushed cheeks. At six years old, she was already showing signs of her wolf's emergence—earlier than most cubs in our pack. My wolf stirred within me, sensing what was coming before I fully understood it myself.
"She has your strength," a gentle voice said behind me.
I turned to find Elder Miriam, Alexander's mother, standing in the hallway. Despite everything, she had always shown Emma and me kindness.
"She'll need the pre-shift blessing," I said quietly. "The signs are unmistakable. Her scent is changing."
Miriam nodded, her eyes reflecting concern. "The fever will come soon. We should prepare the ritual herbs and notify Alexander."
The mention of my mate's name sent a cold shiver down my spine. Three weeks had passed since Victoria's intrusion into my quarters, and Alexander had grown even more distant, spending most nights away from the pack house.
"I'll speak with him," I promised, though my wolf whimpered at the thought.
I found Alexander in his office later that afternoon, maps of neighboring territories spread across his desk. He didn't look up when I entered.
"Emma needs the pre-shift blessing," I said without preamble. "Elder Miriam agrees. Her wolf is stirring early."
Alexander finally raised his eyes to mine, his expression unreadable. "The Northern Pack has invited us to their hunting celebration. Victoria and I will be attending."
"This isn't about Victoria," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. "This is about our daughter. The blessing must be performed before the fever peaks."
"The celebration is tomorrow night. We'll handle Emma's blessing when I return."
"Her wolf won't wait for your social calendar, Alexander," I argued, my patience fraying. "This is sacred pack tradition. You know that."
He stood, his Alpha aura filling the room. "Are you questioning my judgment?"
My wolf snarled inside me, protective maternal instincts overriding fear. "I'm reminding you of your duty to your daughter."
"I'll decide when the blessing happens," he said coldly. "The celebration strengthens our alliance with the Northern Pack. Victoria has already arranged our attendance."
Of course she had. I bit back a bitter retort and left his office, my hands trembling with suppressed rage.
---
The training field echoed with the sounds of combat the next morning. As one of the pack's senior warriors—a position I'd earned long before becoming Alexander's mate—I was responsible for drilling the younger members in defense techniques.
"Pair up," I called out, surveying the twenty wolves assembled before me. "Today we practice evasion tactics."
I demonstrated the maneuver with Delta Kira, showing how to dodge an attacker while maintaining balance for a counterattack. As the pairs began practicing, I noticed a group of younger wolves hanging back, whispering among themselves.
"Liam, Tessa, is there a problem?" I asked, approaching them.
Liam, a stocky eighteen-year-old with a perpetual smirk, exchanged glances with his companions. "Just wondering if we should be taking orders from someone who isn't really our Luna."
The training field fell silent. My wolf bristled beneath my skin.
"Your position in this pack is to learn and obey your superiors," I said evenly. "My position as your combat instructor has nothing to do with my status as Luna."
"That's not what Victoria says," Tessa chimed in, her voice carrying across the field. "She says a real Luna would have her mate's respect, not his pity."
Hot shame flooded my cheeks as snickers rippled through the group. This was Victoria's work—I could smell her influence on them, likely from a recent interaction.
"If you're questioning my authority," I said coldly, "perhaps you'd prefer to demonstrate your skills against me directly."
Liam's smirk faltered. Despite everything, my reputation as a warrior remained intact.
"No? Then get back to training. All of you."
They complied, but the damage was done. Victoria was systematically undermining me from every angle, emboldening even the youngest pack members to mock me openly.
---
That night, with Alexander and Victoria away at the Northern Pack celebration, Emma's temperature spiked suddenly. I woke to her whimpers, the sound echoing not just in my ears but in my mind—the first signs of a developing pack bond.
"Mama," she cried, her small body trembling beneath the blankets. "It hurts."
I gathered her into my arms, feeling the unnatural heat radiating from her skin. "I know, little moon. Your wolf is trying to come out."
"Too soon," she whispered, her eyes glassy with fever. "She says it's too soon."
My heart froze. Emma was already communicating with her wolf—a dangerous sign at her age. Without the blessing, the premature emergence could tear her apart from within.
As I held my daughter's burning body against mine, her whimpers grew louder, echoing in my mind with increasing urgency. Her wolf was fighting to break free, and without the ritual blessing to guide it, Emma's life hung in the balance.
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