The sun hadn't fully risen when Lesley stood on the marble balcony of the Star Blood Pack estate, her gaze fixed on the dark forest that ringed the palace like a sleeping beast.
A light breeze stirred the hem of her satin robe, but her mind was far from the wind. Her fingers clenched around the message she'd read again and again throughout the night.
> "Tell the others nothing. I've found her. I will explain when I return – Ryder"
No royal seal. No detailed briefing. Just that.
Her chest tightened with each reread. 'Found her'. So casually declared.
After years of waiting, of preparing, of knowing he would be hers. Lesley could still feel the chill from the council chambers when they'd first whispered about Ryder's destined mate. She had always assumed the bond would naturally turn toward her.
The signs had been clear. The timing perfect.
Or so she'd thought.
The soft tap of heels on polished stone pulled her attention to the tall silhouette approaching from the hallway. Queen Elira, Ryder's mother, stepped into the light.
She was regal even in silence. Silver hair coiled in a loose braid, her gown flowing like liquid shadow. But her eyes — keen and unreadable — said more than her smile ever did.
"I came as soon as I received your message" Elira said quietly. "He hasn't returned?"
Lesley shook her head. "Only this"
She held out the slip of parchment. Elira didn't take it, merely glanced at it with narrowed eyes.
"So it is true" the Queen murmured. "He has claimed someone"
"He didn't use the word 'claim'" Lesley snapped. "He said he 'found her.' That could mean anything"
The Queen tilted her head slightly "It could but if he has sent word to hold the court in silence... he's being deliberate"
Lesley swallowed, her throat dry. "He wouldn't choose just anyone. He knows what's expected. He knows the consequences of—"
"Ryder was never one to follow paths carved by others" Elira interrupted, folding her arms. "But he is not reckless. If he is like this, it means he believes in this girl"
The word 'girl' stung more than it should have. Lesley looked away.
"She could ruin everything" Lesley whispered.
"She could " Elira agreed calmly. "Or she could be something… else."
The Queen's tone was too measured.
"You knew?" Lesley turned to her. "You suspected this would happen?"
"I knew there were forces moving that even our blood could not tame" Elira replied cryptically. "But I had hoped he would be more...
Lesley's jaw tightened. "If she isn't one of us—if she's not even—"
"We do not speak against the mate bond," the Queen cut her off sharply. "Not yet."
"Not yet?"
Elira moved to the window, her eyes distant. "Ryder has made his first move. Let us prepare our own."
Lesley blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You're quiet" Lesley said, "Too quiet for a woman who just learned her son has abandoned everything"
The Queen Mother stared at her "He did not abandon anything. He fulfilled destiny. It only caught us off guard because it wasn't you".
Lesley's eyes darkened. "He was mine by promise. You were preparing me for that life".
"I was preparing you to stand beside a king. Not to chain him to a choice he hadn't made with his soul"
Silence. The air between them cracked with tension.
"Then what will you do now?" Lesley whispered.
"I will wait to hear his voice," the Queen Mother said. "Not just his message."
Lesley's hand drifted toward a folded parchment hidden in her sleeve. The note she had written in the dead of night. A last resort.
She had not sent it yet.
> To the King of the Silver Fangs,
You once said you wanted an alliance—should a rift form between. The time may be near.
Her fingers trembled as she pressed the letter flat, eyes darting toward the door.
"I wonder" the Queen Mother mused aloud, unaware of Lesley's inner war, "how long a king can be blinded by new affection before old enemies move against him"
Lesley stood. "Perhaps not long at all"
She turned and left the room.
Behind her, the letter slipped silently from her sleeve and into her hand.
She walked toward the hawk tower, the message sealed in crimson wax. Her hand hesitated only once—then the letter slipped into the courier's claws, vanishing into the sky.
---
The dimly lit room was shrouded in shadows, the sound of birds chirping in the background made the atmosphere eerie
The figure, a man with piercing eyes, leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
"Tell me more about this mate of Ryder" he said, his voice low and even. "What do we know about her?"
The other person, a tall and imposing figure, hesitated before speaking. "Not much, yet. But we know she is not yet a full blown wolf. No one knows what she is but presumably a human. Ryder's reaction was...uncharacteristic. He had always been driven by duty and loyalty but this...this is different"
The man's eyes narrowed. "Different how?"
The tall figure's gaze locked onto his. "He was very protective of her, even went as far as shutting the Alpha and Beta of the moonlight pack"
The man's expression remained calm but a spark of interest ignited in his eyes. "This could be the leverage we've been looking for. If Ryder's mate is a nobody, we could use her to manipulate him."
The tall figure's expression turned skeptical. "Are you sure that's wise? Ryder's not a man to be underestimated."
The man's smile was thin and calculating. "Oh, I'm counting on it. Let's find out more about this mate of his. I want to know everything"
The man with piercing eyes leaned back in his chair as he clasped his fingers together. "I want to know everything about Ryder's mate. Her strengths, her weaknesses, her connections. Everything."
The tall figure nodded, pulling out a small notebook and pen. "I'll see what I can gather. But what about Ryder? How do we plan to use this information against him?"
The man's smile grew wider. "Oh, I think we can use his mate to create a bit of... chaos. Maybe even drive a wedge between Ryder and his pack".
As they continued to discuss their plans, the shadows in the room seemed to grow longer, as if the darkness itself was listening in.