The Alpha’s Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger

Clarissa

I remained seated for another moment, looking around the hall that had witnessed so many important decisions over the years.

My father had hosted treaty negotiations here, had welcomed Alphas from across the country, and had built alliances that had kept the South stable for decades. Now that stability was in tatters, and the very leaders who had benefited from Blue Ridge's strength were turning their backs on his daughter.

"It's fine," I told the empty air. "First meetings are rarely pretty."

Standing slowly, I shrugged out of my blazer and draped it over the chair, then slipped the elastic hairband from my wrist and tied my hair back. I wished I could go for a run, but I couldn't.

As a nursing mom with a fussy baby, the slightest discomfort would make him wail for hours. Mothers were connected to their children after birth, so the child could feel them shifting into their wolf form.

Gathering the untouched documents from the table, I walked towards the door.

Outside, the sun shone with vengeance as I started in the direction of the pack house. Children were playing and running around. I met a few pack staff and pack members who bowed or dipped their chins to acknowledge me and kept moving.

A pair of warriors were arguing heatedly over a map when they noticed me; they straightened immediately and shouted, "Alpha," in unison.

"Don't let me stop the argument," I said with a smile. "Good plans come from good fights."

They grinned and kept their heads bowed until I passed before they went back to their argument.

I took the path through the training yards, past the new building in progress for pack healers, though they had set up their medic tents and were still attending to pack members, past the storehouse, until I arrived at the packhouse.

formal meeting hall. The sounds of pack members going about their duties, children playing in the courtyard, and the distant sounds of training exercises reminded me

like I'd intended, I

desk was clean because I try to finish every task every night. It kept my head clear. I sank into

pen holder and proceeded to draw six small boxes, labelling

RIVER — ferries / smuggling lanes / old favour owed?IRON RIDGE — weapons foundries/ledger pressure point.SILVER MOON — rites / do not intrude, attend quietly / offer relief.REDWOOD — hunts/share patrol tech/show results, not words.FIRESTONE — pride / rituals /

staring at my work with pride. Then I left my office and climbed the stairs to

it open carefully, not wanting to wake the

Nathan slept peacefully in his crib. My mom sat in the rocking chair nearby, cradling my brother while reading and dozing with an open novel on

up, and immediately the sleep cleared from her eyes. She had a smile on her face, but it soon grew stale, and I knew

go?" she asked softly, not wanting to wake my brother

to check on the baby. Baby Nathan slept with one tiny fist curled near his face,

turned to see her

reaching down to gently adjust

from the chair, but I held up a

said, and was surprised to find

reminded me

a family portrait. They were stick figures that were meant to

miracle that she'd bounced back into a bubbly, happy child after the trauma

a strand of hair behind

things?" Emma asked seriously. At four years old,