Avery was momentarily unsettled. She was legally bound to Hudson, though their Mate-Contract was on the verge of being shredded by the High Council. She had no intention of entering a new pact after the divorce, and more importantly, she was carrying Hudson’s pup—an heir that changed everything. She never saw herself as a threat to anyone’s territory.

As Avery processed the tension of the evening, mocking laughter spilled from the adjacent rehearsal cavern.

“Really? Even a broken wolf showed up for the White Moon’s feast?”

“Exactly. That old male has skill, though. His hearing is gone, yet he plays the piano like he’s channeling the Great Wolf itself.”

“Where...