Chapter 1

Alex

"Sophia, that's quite enough," I growl at my mate who is holding a one-year-old infant in her lap.

Her body is glowing.

I've seen my mate practice magic before, but ever since she gave me her mating mark, I feel it has opened my eyes to something far more delicate about the process. There's a sheen of light surrounding her body when she uses her magic. None of the other shifters can see it.

I would know. I asked them.

Instead, they just look at her in awe, overwhelmed by the idea of a wolf shifter using magic.

"Just a little bit more," Sophia murmurs, like a child bargaining for an extension on their bedtime.

I sigh in exasperation and decide to take the time to admire my mate's beauty. Her long, gray hair is tied in a thick braid, which currently rests over her left shoulder. The infant in her lap is playing with the tail of the braid, trying his best to chew it. She looks so natural, holding a child in her arms.

My wolf paces inside me, rumbling in appreciation. What would she look like with our child in her arms? Will he have her piercing gray eyes or my cerulean blue ones?

I would like our child to inherit her delicate features, but perhaps not her recklessness. My dark hair and her gray eyes would be ideal. Or maybe my blue eyes and her gray hair. Or just her gray hair and those beautiful eyes of hers. In fact, I wouldn't mind having our child be an exact copy of my mate, I decide.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" The wealth of suspicion in Sophia's voice has me blinking.

"Like what?"

She glowers at me, her eyes narrowed into slits. "Like you're planning something, and I'm not going to like it."

I walk over to her and kiss her on top of her head. "You really should do something about that paranoid streak of yours."

"Why?" She smirks. "You're stuck with me for life now. If anything, I should crank up my paranoia to extreme levels just to test your patience."

The devious side of my mate as she teases me is a new side of her and it has me chuckling. "I'm sure I can handle you."

She lifts up her face, silently demanding a kiss, and I press my mouth against hers. The child in her arms gurgles before grabbing the front of my shirt.

Forcibly reminded that we have an audience, I reluctantly pull away from her. "I think it's about time to stop. You look exhausted."

"There are five children left." Sophia glances toward the door.

"Yes," I agree. "But you cannot push yourself this hard. I know you want to help Dorian Greyhound because he's hosting us in his pack territory, but not at the expense of your health."

Sophia holds out the little boy in her arms and the shifter guarding the door walks over, taking the child and heading out of the room. Once the door closes behind him, she gives me a tired look.

"It's not about returning the favor, Alex. It's about protecting these young lives. If I could, I would go through the entire North Alliance and get rid of this filthy magic that bitch put on the pups."

I raise my brows at the harsh language, not that it's undeserved. Queen Karina, the leader of the North Alliance, one of the three alliances on this continent, has controlled the shifter packs under her rule by linking the lives of their youngest and most vulnerable to a handful of individuals that she has sent to each wolf pack. Any attempt to harm the nannies who have effectively taken control of the pups and separated them from their parents has resulted in their swift deaths at the hands of the soldiers keeping them "safe".

The wolf packs who had once thrived under my father's rule two decades ago, have now been completely subdued, the lives of their pups leveraged against them. It is the only way Karina, who seized the leadership of the North using unfair means, can maintain her control. She's also forced every witch coven in the North to work for her.

So, perhaps, "bitch" is a fair title for her.

However, my mate, who will fight for everyone but herself, is perilously close to working herself into a state of anxiety. "Slow down. We can't catch too much notice. We're here for another two days and then we have to return."

My words have her pausing, and I see the uncertainty in her eyes. She fidgets with her fingers.

"Where are we returning to?"

"The South Alliance." I give her a small smile knowing she's been anxious about this topic for the ten days that we've been here. "You're now the Queen of the South Alliance, Sophia. Your place is in the South. And my place is next to you."

"But what about your revenge?" Sophia looks away from me and I don't have to see the emotion in her eyes to know that she's feeling guilty for something she can't control. "Don't you want to rule the North? It was your birthright. Your father was King of the North Alliance before Karina killed him."

I shake my head. "Revenge takes many forms. Just because I want Karina to pay for the massacre of my pack, doesn't mean I want the title."

My mate doesn't look entirely convinced. "I thought you wanted to seize control of the North again. After all, Karina…"

I study her, wondering if she realizes how her mere existence has changed my entire world and my perception of it. "There was a time when I did. Now, while I want my revenge, I also want to be with you. And since you are the Queen of the South Alliance, I cannot see myself vying for the leadership of the North. I don't want to be separated from you. I can have my revenge without being greedy for the throne."

Sophia gets to her feet, approaching me. Her arms settle around my neck as she hooks her fingers together. My hands come to rest on her waist as I search her eyes.

"If the King of the North and the Queen of the South are mates, wouldn't the two alliances become one?"

After a prolonged silence, I ask, "Were you always this clever?"

She chuckles, laughter dancing in her eyes. "I try to hide it. I don't want to give you a complex."

"Very funny," I drawl but I yank her closer to me, our bodies now pressed together. "Do you know that you've begun to smile more and laugh more than you used to back when we first met? It's been what, three months now?"

"Has it?" Sophia murmurs, thoughtfully. "Being around you makes me happy. I feel complete, cringey as it sounds."

"Very cringey," I agree and groan when she pinches me lightly.

"You shouldn't be so violent with me," I rub my shoulder where she pinched me. "It makes my wolf want you even more."

Her flushed smile says it all.

Our bond has grown deeper since Sophia gave me her mating mark. It's only been ten days, but her constant presence within me, as a result of the bond, has done a lot to help with the grief that I've been carrying within me. The grief of losing a girl whom I had raised and who had been both a younger sister and a child. I had to end her life with my own hands, having realized too late her obsession with me and the destruction she had caused to our pack as a result.

These past couple of weeks have been hard for us all. My mate lost someone as well. She still has a hard time talking about Drew, and I try not to mention him. Her grief is different than mine.

When I lost my parents, I still had some of my pack left alive, and they had cared for me and helped me through the darkest times. Sophia was forcibly orphaned when her father was killed by Alpha Black, the leader of the Red Rock Wolf Pack. Her mother was imprisoned as soon as Sophia was born, and Alpha Black raised my mate with the intention of taking her as his own mate once she was of the right age. Sophia was deliberately isolated and Drew was one of the few people whom she had cared for. His death had shattered her.

She's tried to hold herself together but she's unable to hide her grief entirely.

The only thing I can do is to be there for her and piece her back together when she breaks. There is a rough road ahead for her, what with Sophia having been appointed the leader of the South Alliance. She's trying not to show it, but she's quite anxious about how she's supposed to handle such a position. She, more than anyone, is aware that the only reason she's been given this title is because she is the Silver Wolf, a mystical creature who is a shifter with the ability to practice magic.

"Why don't you lie down for a bit and I'll get you something to eat?" I suggest, seeing how pale she looks.

"I'm okay," my mate insists.

"Sure you are," I agree affably, picking her up with ease and carrying her to the bed. "You're perfectly okay. In fact, you're so okay that a nap will just make you more okay."

She scowls at me. "Your jokes are broken."

"It's okay," I reply pleasantly.

She throws a pillow at me in annoyance and I duck out of the way before retrieving it and tucking it under her. "Sleep. We'll work on your aim later."

I'm sure she would punch me if she wasn't so exhausted.

I leave the room once I'm absolutely certain that she's dozed off.

The guest houses provided to us by the Greyson Wolf Pack are built like entire suites with a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room, abathroom, and a private backyard. I'm grateful for the privacy. I also know that the guest houses are at the far end of the town, away from the nursery and where Karina's people who are assigned to the nursery reside. Alpha Greyhound is taking a huge risk in housing us. If the Queen of the North Alliance discovers he helped us, there is no knowing what she will do to him and his people.

As I walk in into the living area, I see Alpha Dorian Greyhound lingering by the entrance.

"Dorian?"

Dorian Greyhound is a tall man in his late forties. He gives me a brief nod. "I was hoping to catch you. I heard Sophia has been busy removing the evil magic from the children."

I nod, sticking my hands in my pockets.

I've not built any sort of close friendships with the alphas of the North alliance. They had all kept an eye on me, but also kept me at a distance, not wanting to incur Karina's wrath. However, once they realized that I had begun to rebuild my pack, they offered assistance on small matters. It was an acknowledgment of my efforts. I never held them responsible for turning a blind eye all these years. After all, Karina had everyone by the balls.

I hadn't expected Dorian to stick his neck out for me, even now. The fact that he did has me grateful to the Alpha. He's made it easier for me to regroup my people. Since we will have to leave for the north, I've sent some of my soldiers along with Dorian's people to let them know about the change of plans. They're all set to convene on the border between the North and the South, where we will meet them.

Right now, Dorian is helping us by facilitating communications. My own right-hand team, Patrick, Jared, Saul, and Nathan, have returned to our village to collect all the evidence against Karina that we've been gathering for years now. Then they will make their own journey to the border. The only reason we're still lingering here is because Sophia wants to remove the magic that was placed on the pups belonging to this pack, and because her mother is still in critical condition.

"We're very grateful to her," Dorian says, quietly. "You have no idea how it feels to finally breathe easy again."

"I do know." I glance behind me at the closed bedroom door behind which my mate is resting. "She did the same for my pack. It's not easy for her, either. She's not very good at protecting her interests. So I do that for her."

The meaning behind my words is not lost on Dorian. If Sophia is overwhelmed, I'll put a stop to everything, no matter the consequences.

"I understand," the Alpha says. "She's got too generous a heart. It's not common amongst our kind. Wolf shifters are more bloodthirsty and brutish. Your mate is…she's different."

Dorian is choosing his words carefully, probably so as not to offend me, but he's right. Sophia is more empathetic. She always was. When I met her, I constantly confused her empathy for recklessness. She would throw herself into dangerous situations, just to help someone. She was also more sensitive than I was, a fact that she hid behind a prickly exterior.

My heart tightens.

My actions in the very beginning must have left horrifying bruises on her heart. And yet, she's forgiven me for them, always understanding. What I just said to Dorian is true. She doesn't know where the line is when it comes to her safety, which is why I have to draw it for her.

"She's the Silver Wolf," I give Dorian an easy smile. "What did you expect? She's not going to be like us in most regards."

I have no intention of sharing my mate's weaknesses with anyone, not even the man risking his life to give us a place to stay. Weaknesses can be exploited, and Sophia has enough people after her. I don't want to add any more to the list.

"You're right," Dorian agrees. "Now, about why I'm here. One of the representatives of the Central Alliance wants to see you. Since all the alliance representatives are now returning to their respective territories, they made a quick stop here. I believe he wanted to see Sophia but at the last moment, he changed his mind and asked for you instead."

Invitations are always sent to the leaders of the three alliances for the Winter Banquet.. The attendees from each alliance include the leader of the alliance, along with the alphas of the packs within that alliance. However, the Central Alliance has never sent any of their Alphas, nor has the King of the Central Alliance ever made an appearance. He sends representatives instead. Karina always considered this an insult, since it is always the leader of the North Alliance who hosts the Winter Banquet. However, there wasn't anything she could do but accept this slight.

Dorian's words have me blinking in surprise. "Someone from the Central Alliance wants to speak to me?"

"He's waiting outside."

I look over my shoulder once again before replying. "I'll speak to him outside. Sophia is resting right now. I don't want her to be disturbed."

I follow Dorian outside. The man standing near the entrance looks a little familiar. He's the one who spoke up in favor of Sophia during the showdown at the banquet. In fact, he had also been standing quite close to Sophia when I had arrived.

"How can I help you?"

A long time ago, the continent we live on was divided into three alliances. They were created to prevent the kind of territorial wars which had caused too much damage to our kind over the generations. Our numbers were beginning to decline. The North Alliance, the South Alliance, and the Central Alliance were all headed by three different individuals and had multiple packs under their rule.

Over time though, I don't know when, the members of each alliance began to display defining features. The North alliance, where I originate from, usually has shifters with dark black hair and fair skin. The fur of our wolves is also black in color. Those from the South have predominantly brown hair with tan skin. Their fur mirrors the brown of their hair.

The wolves from the Central Alliance have white fur and in their human form, their hair is grayish. Sophia's hair is gray and her fur is silver. Her mother's hair is silver. While it is not indicative of their identities as the Silver Wolves, it is a mark of the Central Alliance.

At first, I hadn't understood why Sophia never considered that fact. But when I discovered that the alpha of the Red Rock Wolf Pack that she had been raised in, had limited her education, it made sense. Even now, I'm not entirely sure if Sophia realizes that she has the distinctive features of a wolf from the Central Alliance.

The man before me is tall with gray hair and icy blue eyes. "I would appreciate itif you do not mention my visit to anyone."

There's no formal greeting, just a nosedive into the conversation.

"I'm assuming my mate does not count in those people?"

He shakes his head. "This message is for her. She will have questions for me—questions I am not in a position to answer right now. Therefore, I thought it would be best to simply meet you, her consort."

There's a difference between Sophia calling me her consort and somebody else referring to me as such.

It angers me.

From the age of ten, my identity has been that of an Alpha. I've struggled through everything and finally dragged my people out of the darkest of times. And now, I'm no longer the Alpha. Or am I?

I still don't know where I stand. Where my people stand.

I could always discuss it with Sophia but right now, but I don't want to add to her worries, and knowing her, she will worry about something like this.

Forcing my unpleasant thoughts back to the present, I ask the man, "May I have your name?"

He shakes his head. "It will do you no good. What I came to tell you is that Grace, your mate's mother, will not survive here."

My body stiffens at the mention of Sophia's mother, who is in a critical condition right now. She risked her life to save Sophia. Her life hangs in the balance, and my mate is already very upset over this fact. Sophia was ripped from her mother's arms as a child, and her mother was imprisoned while Sophia was raised in the pack orphanage. She was told that her mother died during childbirth. It took her more than twenty years to finally find her mother, who had become a shell of herself due to years of torture and abuse at the hands of Robert Black, the now-deceased Alpha of the Red Rock Wolf Pack.

I stare at the man before me. "My mate's mother is from the Central Alliance, isn't she?"

An uncomfortable expression crosses his face. "Well, yes."

"So why haven't you offered her any assistance? Why have you only shown up now?"

The man looks tense. "I'm already crossing a line by talking to you about this situation."

I want to say more, but I turn my focus back to the critical point. "You said she won't survive here. Then what are we supposed to do?"

"The Central Alliance knows how to treat the Silver Wolves if they push themselves beyond their breaking point," he tells me. "That's all I can say. Bringing Grace will be pointless because she will not survive the journey. But your mate should petition our leader for the medicine needed to save her life."

He turns around but I stop him. "Why can't you give us the medicine now?"

The man hesitates. "I'm not in a position to do anything. Only the leader of the Central Alliance has the ability to distribute that medicine."

My questions are not over yet. "You called her Grace. How do you know her name?"

The man covers his head with the hood of the cloak, his hands clenching around the fabric. I can't see his expression anymore, but I can sense the pain in his voice. "I used to know her. A long time ago. Before…she was a good person. All this time, I thought she was…"

He begins walking away mid-sentence, as if unable to finish what he was saying.

"Petition the leader of the Central Alliance?" Dorian sounds pensive. "He's never even attended a banquet. I heard he retreated to somewhere deep within his territory a long time ago. Nobody has been able to request an audience with him."

My lips purse into a thin line. "I have a feeling my mate might be the first person to do just that."

Dorian doesn't look very convinced, but he turns his attention toward me. "There's something else you should know. I had a meeting with the other pack leaders. We've also been conducting some investigation into our own territories. Some things have come to light. I believe that you should be aware of them."

I meet his gaze. "Covens of witches are disappearing? Human populated cities are experiencing an increase in human abductions?"

Dorian's expression contorts. "You were aware of this all along?"

"The first witch coven that disappeared was from the Black Alder territory," I inform him. "Overnight, the entire coven vanished. There was no trace of a single witch from that coven. This was about four years ago. Since then, different witch covens from different territories have begun vanishing. At first, we assumed they were simply packing up and leaving, but when we conducted a discreet investigation, it seemed more like a case of abduction. Their homes had been left as if they were in the middle of their meals, their daily tasks. Tables still have food on them. Some covens still had clothing hung on the line to dry. Their schools had books open on the tables. It's most likely that they were ambushed. But the one thing that stood out to me was that there was never any sign of a struggle."

Dorian's face is pale.

"You have a theory in mind, I take it."

"Karina has a habit of going after the vulnerable. She might have targeted the children first and the adults were forced to go along. The other option is that she had witches working for her already. It would be easy if the entire coven was put under a sleeping spell before being transported. I have made some inquiries, and this is definitely possible. However, the witches I reached out, to found it hard to believe that their own kind would do something like this to other witches. However, something definitely has them spooked."

"You mentioned Karina," Dorian asks, grimly. "You think it's her, then?"

I smile cooly. "You don't think it's strange that a majority of the witches have sworn fealty to Karina? Witches are meant to be on the side of humans. Although our kind buys their services for our clothes, to have them swear loyalty to any particular person from our kind is unheard of."

"The only reason they might do that, is if they fear their lives were being threatened or they are under duress," Dorian finishes, his voice tense. "Our investigation has not gone that far yet. We only discovered the missing covens around six months ago. But we haven't paid much attention to the humans who are disappearing. The news had reached our ears, but we assumed it was a human problem."

He studies me intently. "Isn't it?"

I cross my arms over my chest, looking at him. "It would interest you to know that the humans going missing are elite businessmen, or those with a lot of money. Soon after they go missing, their bank accounts are being emptied out and gold bars are being purchased with the money. Any building or business that the human owns is transferred to a certain company's name which we've been able to link to Karina."

Dorian stiffens. "She's killing humans and stealing from them?"

"I don't know if she's killing them," I admit. "But she has something to do with the disappearance. And then there are the families of the murdered humans who stand to inherit their wealth. They've all been found murdered in their homes. Entire family lines are being wiped out. Animal attacks, they call them. Slowly and steadily, she has gained control of quite a few businesses in some of the human-owned cities. What she's doing is very dangerous. And if it gets the attention of the South and the Central Alliance, a war might break out. Nobody will ignore her breaking the rules. Not even the Central Alliance. It threatens the peace for all of us. We are not allowed to touch humans. And if this comes out, Karina will not be the only one to pay the price for her actions. All the packs of the North Alliance will also be held accountable."

Dorian's face is white as a sheet. "Why did you not tell us any of this before?"

"I didn't know who to trust," I reply steadily. "I didn't know who would betray me to get into Karina's good graces. But now that I'm no longer part of the North Alliance, this is no longer my problem."

The weight of my words has Dorian studying me in shock. "Are you abandoning us?"

"I'm not abandoning the North, Dorian. The North abandoned me a long time ago. And besides, my allegiance is now to Sophia and the South."

"And how're we supposed to face off against Karina without you?" Dorian demands.

The meaning behind his words is not lost on me. Without the real leader of the North, they will be in a difficult position to go against Karina. If Karina is defeated, their actions will be considered a rebellion. If I'm part of their movement, then it is the right of the leader of the North to take action. What Karina did to my father was against the laws of all three alliances. But nobody paid much attention then. Now that she has begun to take such drastic actions, the remaining two alliances will definitely look at the North.

"Who said you're going up against Karina without me?" I bare my teeth at him with a vicious smile. "She may be your problem now, but I'll help you from the background. I want Karina dead as much as you do. I'm not going to let the North fall."