Chapter 31 Sovereign Sigil
Dareth’s POV
I didn’t leave immediately after receiving the order. Not because I hesitated. But because this wasn’t just a normal information-gathering task.
The name Evra mentioned… was too specific. And my instinct—something that’s rarely wrong—told me one simple thing:
If this is true, then I’m not just looking for information when I go there. I’m walking straight toward something that’s already close to exploding.
I turned away from the meeting room door without a sound, my steps steady as always. The third-floor hallway of Rivenhall Dominion was quiet, but I could still feel the pressure left behind from that conversation.
I know Evra doesn’t speak carelessly.
And Magnus never asks for additional information… unless he’s already starting to believe it.
That’s enough.
I reached my office a few minutes later. The door shut tightly behind me as I entered. No guards. No interruptions.
I walked straight to my desk, but didn’t sit down right away. My gaze went to the drawer on the right.
For a few seconds… I just stood there. Reorganizing everything in my head.
Silverfang Pack.
Althea Varyn.
Kael Thornridge.
And one variable that couldn’t be calculated with logic—Evra.
If the vision she saw is real, then we don’t have much time. But… if her vision is wrong…
I exhaled slowly.
No. That’s not a possibility I’m considering.
I crouched slightly and placed my finger on the hidden panel at the side of the drawer. The sensor lit up dimly, reading my fingerprint in a second.
Click.
The drawer opened slowly.
The car stopped a few meters before the Silverfang border gate.
I didn’t step out right away.
The engine was still running softly, its vibration steady beneath my feet. But my eyes had already been observing the front for the past few seconds.
Silverfang territory isn’t built like Rivenhall.
No overly striking modern structures. No glass towers. No layered security systems that can be mapped with the eye.
The trees stood too close together, their branches crossing like they were deliberately blocking the view. The ground wasn’t even, slightly rising and falling, as if it was hiding something beneath it. And the air here…
I took a slow breath.
A thick pack scent, heavy, clinging directly to the lungs.
This territory isn’t just guarded by its sentries. It protects itself.
I turned off the engine. Silence immediately replaced the sound of the car. Thicker. More alert.
I stayed seated for a few seconds. Letting my instincts read the rhythm of this place.
Then I opened the door.
The wind hit my face immediately.
Cold. Sharp. Unwelcoming. And carrying something more subtle.
I stepped out calmly, closing the door without making any noise. My steps were steady, not rushed, but not hesitant either.
Two guards were already standing at the gate. They didn’t move closer. But their eyes… locked onto me the moment I appeared.
Alert. Trained. And clearly… not fond of surprises.
“Stop there.”
Their tone was flat. Not friendly. But not hostile yet.
I stopped immediately. Not stepping closer. Not raising my hands. Not showing anything that could be seen as a threat.
Just enough to show that I understood the rules of this place.
A few seconds passed. I could feel them trying to read my aura. Looking for anything suspicious.
Of course, they wouldn’t find anything.
I had already suppressed it before I even arrived.
Without saying a word, I pulled out an item from inside my black coat. A thin metal card. Its surface was dark, almost blending into the shadow in my hand.
But the symbol engraved in the center… couldn’t be mistaken.
Rivenhall Dominion.
“Sovereign Sigil,” one of the guards muttered, his eyes widening.
The effect was immediate. One of them tensed, the other stayed still, but his focus shifted. No longer just watching. Now reassessing.
“What is your purpose in our territory?” one of them asked.
“Territory survey for banking purposes,” I replied.
No extra explanation.
The name Rivenhall carries its own consequences.
The guard glanced at his partner. A silent exchange that happened quickly. Then his gaze returned to me.
“You’re allowed to enter.” A brief pause. “But with conditions.”
Of course. I had anticipated that even before stepping out of the car.
“State them.”
The guard stepped forward slightly. Close enough to make sure I heard him clearly.
“No external pack attributes are allowed inside our territory. Including your car.”
One.
“No dominance aura displayed.”
Two.
“And you won’t look like someone who came from Rivenhall.”
Three.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. Not offended. Just calculating.
“Is that a request… or a rule?” I asked flatly.
The guard didn’t smile. “Protection for you while you’re in our territory.”
Makes sense.
Entering another pack’s territory with the full identity as Magnus Rivenhall’s right hand… isn’t just arrogance. It’s practically an open invitation for conflict.
I didn’t argue. I just nodded once.
The guard then pulled out a small dark glass bottle from a pouch on his belt. The liquid inside was almost black. But when the bottle shifted slightly, there was a faint shimmer inside it. Like something alive.
He held it out to me.
“Use this.”
I took it. The bottle was cold. Colder than the surrounding air.
I opened it slowly. The scent hit immediately. Sharp. The smell of damp earth, tree sap, and something distinctly Silverfang.
I didn’t use it right away.
I stared at the liquid for a second longer. Then without hesitation, I poured a small amount onto my palm and rubbed it onto my neck.
The effect was instant. Not physically. But on something more subtle.
My scent… changed. The Rivenhall scent was completely masked. The liquid blended it, making me part of this place.
The guard watched carefully, sniffed once, then gave a slight nod.
“Your scent will adjust. Once you’re done and leave Silverfang, your pack scent will return, and the mixture will evaporate on its own.”
I closed the bottle and handed it back.
“Understood.”
I stepped past them. And the moment my foot fully crossed the boundary… I felt the difference. Like stepping into my own territory.
I didn’t slow down. Didn’t look back.
Because one thing was clear… I got in. And from this moment on… I’m no longer a guest in Silverfang Pack.
I’m something that either blends in… or gets destroyed.