After a brief moment of calculated silence, Hudson dispatched a formal missive to the Hayes Clan Elders, containing the full investigation report into the archive fire incident—a direct warning to keep their subordinates in check.

Meanwhile, Brent had already witnessed the toxic rumors clawing through the pack-link. He sent a mental pulse to Avery, assuring her that the Hayes Sentinels were scrubbing the network and that she had nothing to fear. He even offered to challenge Hudson directly to clear her name.

Avery, however, signaled back a firm decline. She saw no reason to explain her soul to a man who had spent years ignoring its voice. She assumed that...