Patrick found the truth in fragments. A ledger sealed beneath his father’s desk. A coded message hidden in council minutes. A witness from the patrol who finally broke under the weight of guilt. Each piece sharpened into one conclusion: his father hadn’t died from a rogue attack. He’d been eliminated. Internal work. Someone with pack access. Someone who wanted the Alpha seat destabilized.

He read the final line of the ledger three times. The sigil beside the payment record belonged to the very relative who had seized control after the funeral. Motive. Opportunity. Execution. Clean, calculated, without hesitation. Patrick’s jaw locked. His hands closed into fists until bone creaked. His...