As dusk settled in, Bruce and Elijah retreated to the Alpha's private study, leaving the pack grounds covered in lengthy shadows. The room, usually an oasis of calm and order, felt strained at this moment.

Elijah knew there was going to be a lot of conflict seething beneath the surface, but Bruce moved slowly and deliberately to seal the door behind them. Bruce said, "All right, Elijah," and he sat down in the high-backed leather chair behind his desk. He spoke in a quiet, collected tone. "Tell me everything, please. from the beginning."

Elijah took a long breath and collected his thoughts. He'd replayed this discussion a hundred times in...