The Alpha Who Stopped the Council

[Our sweet girl is just too pure-hearted. She keeps refusing the Alpha's courtship advances because of his claiming intent with another.]

[These two precious souls cannot complete their bond because of that wretched curse-bearer. The Alpha has to navigate pack law just to offer her tribute gifts, and even then, she only reluctantly accepts them.]

These Moonstream comments made me seriously question whether these watchers shared a single functioning mind between them.

If Vesper were truly as pure-hearted as they claimed, why would she entangle herself with Kael knowing full well he had declared claiming intent toward another?

Her so-called "refusals" were nothing but the oldest courtship game in wolf history.

One breath of her scent—layered with rare oils, moon-blessed fabrics, and imported herbs not a single affordable item among them—told you everything. The ancestors only knew how much tribute that fool Kael had poured into her.

And they actually believed she needed the Trial prize stores for her initiation fees? The sheer stupidity was dragging down the collective instincts of our entire territory.

I regarded them with cold indifference and stated once more:

"I would never stoop to swapping ritual paintings for a title—let alone for a mere preliminary round."

The young wolves gathered around us began to waver.

"She speaks truth. This Trial is only territory-level. Selene has always competed at the Cross-Territory Rite Invitational level."

"Her pack controls vast hunting grounds, and she has already made her name across multiple territories. Why would she need to swap paintings?"

"What would she even gain from such dishonor?"

Doubt flickered across Kael's face. He glanced at me, something uncertain in his amber eyes.

Vesper's lips curled into a mocking smile. She jabbed a claw-tipped finger toward my face.

"Do I need to spell it out for all of you?"

"It is obviously for the guaranteed bloodline placement!"

Her voice turned icy as winter wind. "You all think this Trial is just about rankings and tribute prizes. But the finals champion receives a guaranteed place among the Elder Packs across the great waters!"

"That is something no amount of Trial victories can buy!"

A collective gasp rippled through the gathered wolves, their ears pricking forward.

Kael's gaze hardened with disgust. "Even if you claw your way into an elite pack through dirty tricks, you will not survive the season. Besides—" His eyes glinted like cold steel. "Your true nature is about to be exposed for all to scent."

When my expression remained unchanged, he pointed at me, his voice dripping with contempt.

"You will not howl until you see the burial stones!"

A group of uniformed Council investigators approached, one of them holding a warded memory-stone. "This contains the ward-view recording of the entire painting ritual and submission. We are here to make everything public before the pack."

The lead investigator turned to me. "You are Selene Ashford, the one who was reported, correct? I will ask you one final time—did you swap another wolf's ritual painting to secure the guaranteed bloodline placement?"

Triumph gleamed in Vesper's and Kael's eyes. They were practically salivating, hackles raised in anticipation, waiting for the ward-view to play and watch me crumble before the pack.

I rolled my eyes and spread my hands toward the Council staff.

"I was granted accelerated initiation into the Elder ranks last year. Why would I swap paintings just to receive placement I already possess?"