Chapter 47: Pack Politics and Pride
(Freya’s POV)
The whispers buzzed like a swarm of bees. It was impossible to not hear them, even if I wasn’t a wolf with enhanced senses. Their words carried like arrows, hitting their mark no matter how much I tried to block
them out.
“Does she think eating down here makes her look humble?” Jennifer Wilson, one of the junior wolves, said with a smirk to her companion, Mark Thompson.
“Looks more like she’s avoiding the Alpha’s table,” Mark added, his voice loud enough for anyone in the room to hear. “Probably doesn’t have a choice since Caroline’s practically taken her spot.”
Jennifer leaned closer to him, but her words came out clear as day. “Caroline is the real deal–complete package. Beautiful, strong bloodlines, and she saved his life. What has Freya done?”
Mark shrugged. “Survived, I guess. Got lucky in an arranged mating. If you can call luck being cast aside like
this.”
I chewed deliberately on my salad, refusing to let my expression falter. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me react. Besides, what point would there be? Everything they were saying–about Caroline, about me–wasn’t entirely wrong. My position here was temporary, hanging by a thread that frayed more with each
passing day.
But Sarah’s anger beside me was a storm brewing. Her wolf bristled so visibly it almost seemed to radiate off her. The fork in her hands bent slightly under the pressure of her grip. Her amber eyes gleamed as she shot a
glare toward the gossipers.
“This is unacceptable,” she hissed. “Do they even know who they’re talking about? How dare they question your contributions-”
“Let it go, Sarah,” I interjected, keeping my tone calm, even as those words pierced deeper than I wanted to
admit.
“But, Luna-”
“Sarah,” I said more firmly, shifting my gaze to hers. “This doesn’t deserve your energy. Focus on your duties.” Her hands trembled with frustration, knuckles white as she clenched them. “After everything you’ve done for them, and for Aaron’s pack? They have no right-”
I reached across to place my hand gently over hers. I needed her loyalty, yes, but now was not the time to let emotions cloud either of our judgments.
“Protecting the pack doesn’t mean responding to every insult,” I said softly but with conviction. “It means maintaining dignity. Always.”
I saw conflict flash in her eyes. Her wolf wanted to fight, but my words held her back–just barely. Her shoulders sagged slightly as she quieted, though her anger hadn’t diminished.
“Remember your position,” I reminded
her gently. “As Luna’s
assistant, wolves will always watch what you
- do.
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<Chapter 47: Pack Politics…
Never let them see you lose control.”
Her nostrils flared briefly before she gave a tight nod. She sat back, though her posture remained stiff with tension.
In contrast, I took another bite of my salad, as if everything happening around us was of no consequence. It was a practiced calm, a mask I’d worn countless times over the years. Even as my wolf Bella whimpered inside, hurt by the cruel words echoing around us, I held firm. I had no choice. Soon, this wouldn’t matter
anymore.
Sarah leaned closer to me, her voice low. “If Caroline were sitting here right now, they’d probably worship the ground she walked on.”
And she wasn’t wrong about that either. My eyes flicked around the room briefly. More gossip, more whispers.
They had no problem being loud where they thought I couldn’t–or wouldn’t–respond.
“I heard Caroline brought lunch to the Alpha today,” one voice said with awe.
“That’s so sweet of her,” another added. “Honestly, it won’t be long before she officially takes over as Luna.”
“The pack deserves her,” someone else chimed in. “She’s what a proper Luna looks like.”
I didn’t need to hear more. “Let’s go,” I said abruptly, standing to leave. “The work in my office won’t finish
itself.”
Sarah followed me with hesitation, her pace slightly behind mine so as not to betray the conflict still coursing through her. For a moment, I almost envied how freely she showed her emotions. I didn’t have that luxury
anymore.
Back in the Luna’s office, I pulled open the folders stacked on my desk, handing a third of them to Sarah. She blinked down at the heavy stack of documents, overwhelmed, her reaction expected.
“Luna, this is… a lot,” she said hesitantly.
“It’s necessary,” I said plainly, sitting down across from her. “You need to learn, and you need to learn quickly.” Her brow furrowed as she looked at the first report. “You’re preparing me for something, aren’t you?”
I didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, I turned my attention back to an unfinished draft for a pack negotiation. “Start with this. Draft a response firm enough to establish boundaries, but respectful enough to maintain relations.”
“I–yes, Luna,” Sarah responded, swallowing visibly as she picked up the pen.
Her initial hesitation was apparent. She reviewed the report with wide eyes, clearly nervous about messing up. But then I saw her expression shift slightly–determination beginning to set in.
Good. That was exactly what I needed from her.
“You can do this, Sarah,” I said firmly. “You have to. This pack will need you when I’m gone.”
She froze at my words. “Gone?”
I glanced up at her, my expression unchanging. “Focus on the work.”
Her grip tightened on the pen, but she obeyed. She was starting to piece it together, I knew. And she was
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<Chapter 47 Pack Politics
smart enough not to press the issue right now.
Frint’s
As Sarah worked, I watched her closely, noting the way she would pause and carefully reread her sentences. Her hands trembled slightly when she wrote, but it wasn’t from fear. It was from the weight of responsibility she suddenly realized was being thrust upon her.
There was a knock. The distinct scent of Caroline reached me before Sarah could even react.
Her wolf immediately bristled. She stood up faster than she needed to, posture rigid. “I’ll tell her you’re busy.”
“No,” I said, closing my folder. “Let her in.”
Caroline strode in, every step measured, her designer outfit impeccable. She carried a lunchbox, beautifully wrapped with yellow ribbon, likely worth more than an average wolf’s w****y salary.
“I thought you might be hungry after a long morning,” she said warmly, holding out the lunchbox.
Sarah’s lip curled with barely concealed disdain. “The Luna has already eaten.”
“Thank you, Caroline,” I said before Sarah could go further. “But as Sarah said, I’ve already had lunch.” Caroline’s smile slipped only slightly–so brief most wolves wouldn’t have noticed it. But I did.
“What’s wrong with a little extra?” Her tone remained light. “You’ve been working so much lately. Even Aaron said-”
I cut her off. “Aaron seems to do a lot of talking about me. Maybe you should focus on keeping him away from me instead.”
Her smile vanished entirely this time. Her wolf stirred behind her eyes, showing flickers of warning.
“I can’t control where Aaron chooses to go,” she said finally, her patience thinning. “He’s the Alpha of this territory. Or have you forgotten?”
“Then perhaps,” I said slowly, letting the sarcasm seep into my voice, “you should focus on keeping him away from pack headquarters instead.”
Her blue eyes flared with indignation, but she quickly regained control of herself, forcing her features back into that practiced calm.
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