In just three days, Blackthorn Pack fell apart.
Once Silvercrest Dominion withdrew its protection, subordinate packs dissolved their Founding Alliance Oaths one after another. Rival packs seized the opportunity to take the northern territories. The High Moon Council also began investigating Adrian for abusing his Alpha authority and obstructing the Luna’s emergency care.
The Council barred Adrian Blackwood from leading Blackthorn Pack until his trial was complete. Once feared by other packs, he was now a disgraced Alpha who couldn’t even defend his own territory. All he could do was await judgment before the High Moon Tribunal.
He went from one former Alpha ally to another, begging for protection and reinforcements.
Pack leaders who had once competed to pledge their loyalty to him wouldn’t even answer his Mind Link.
“Adrian, Silvercrest Dominion has withdrawn its protection. Who would dare offend the entire royal bloodline for you?”
His childhood pack friend refused him coldly.
“You let your mate and daughter die over a Favored She-Wolf. Don’t drag our pack down with you.”
The Mind Link went dead. Instinctively, Adrian searched for Elena through their mate bond, but his mind held nothing but hollow silence.
He stood alone at the edge of Blackthorn Pack territory, utterly lost.
Only now did he understand that he’d destroyed the one mate who had truly loved him and lost everything that had kept him in power as Alpha.
Exhausted, he made his way back to Alpha Manor, where he’d once lived with Elena.
Council Enforcers had taken control of the gates. His own Alpha Blood Seal had gone dim. In its place was the Council Seal of the High Moon Council. He was forbidden to enter before the trial.
He fell to his knees on the cold stone steps, clutching the Memorial Urn against his chest. His wolf searched for Elena’s scent again and again, but the broken mate bond offered nothing in return.
“Elena, I want to come home.”
“I know I was wrong. Please come back to me.”
Suddenly, a taxi pulled up nearby.
Serena Vale got out with her newborn pup in her arms, furious.
After losing her privileged royal treatment, she’d been forced to leave Frostvale Birthing Sanctuary with the child.
She’d made her way back to the Central Territories to find him.
“Adrian! What on earth are you doing?”
She looked at his mud-covered, wretched appearance with open disgust.
“How could you fail to defend your own territory? Do you have any idea how much the pup and I suffered in Frostvale Territory?”
The baby startled in the rain and began to cry.
At the sound, Adrian stiffened.
Slowly, he lifted his head and stared at the healthy pup in Serena’s arms.
Then he looked down at the cold Memorial Urn he held.
When he raised his head again, his eyes were murderous.
“Were you the one who sent Elena those photos?”
Serena flinched at his expression and took a guilty step back.
“I… I was angry! Why did she get to keep the Luna’s position?”
“I knew you first! Besides, she’s dead now. Just take me away from this territory. We can go back to Frostvale…”
Before she could finish, Adrian lunged at her, seized her throat, and slammed her into the muddy ground.
Serena screamed. The pup slipped from her arms onto the grass and wailed.
“I’ll kill you!” Adrian roared.
“You bitch! You killed her and our daughter!”
“If you hadn’t demanded that I take away the head healer, Elena would still be alive!”
Serena struggled desperately, beating at his hands.
“Let… go…”
“Give me my Elena back! Give her back!”
Adrian had completely lost control.
Terrified passersby called the Council Enforcers.
They arrived, dragged Adrian away from Serena, and clapped restraints around his wrists.
“Adrian Blackwood, Beta Derek has confessed everything in the Council Holding Cells. You’re under investigation for obstructing emergency medical treatment resulting in criminally negligent homicide. Come with us.”
Even as the Enforcers forced him into their transport vehicle, Adrian kept staring at Serena.
She was the woman he’d once chosen over everything. Now he wanted her dead.
Meanwhile, far from the chaos surrounding Adrian, I was relaxing on a lounge chair at Silvercrest Dominion’s Royal Sanctuary Grounds, just outside Silvercrest City.
I was reclining in the sun.
My daughter, full after feeding, slept peacefully in my arms, tiny bubbles forming at her lips.
I gently brushed a finger across her soft cheek.
A pack news broadcast was reporting the collapse of Blackthorn Pack and Adrian Blackwood’s arrest for attacking Serena in the street.
On the screen, Adrian looked filthy, shattered, and unrecognizable.
Grandfather approached with a bowl of herbal broth and sat beside me.
“Elena, Adrian’s in custody.”
He snorted. “He deserves it.”
I calmly took the broth and sipped it.
“This is only the beginning. He’s got Beta Derek in there to keep him company.”
Derek would do anything to get a lighter sentence, including placing every scrap of blame on Adrian.
Adrian Blackwood was going to spend the rest of his life behind high walls.
I switched off the news broadcast and held my daughter closer.
Just then, Marcus Reed hurried into the sitting room.
“Royal Heiress, we’ve got a problem.”
He handed me an image taken from a secret Sanctuary Archives record, his brow furrowed.
“Before Adrian Blackwood was arrested, he bribed a Rogue Information Broker to sneak into Blackthorn Healing Sanctuary’s Records Chamber.”
“We’ve sealed the real Healing Archives, but he may have obtained part of the record showing your daughter used a Neonatal Healing Cradle.”
My hand paused.
The image showed a hidden Healing Cradle Record. The date it had been activated, along with the healer’s notes, matched the timing far too closely.
I looked toward the window and smiled coldly.
“It’s fine. Let him investigate.”
“What hurts more than giving someone hope, only to crush it right in front of them?”