Chapter 78: Stranger Powers

Ciara

“The eastern routes belong to our territory during winter trade.”

I leaned lazily against the Alpha chair while one of the older Alphas continued arguing across the long council table.

“You barely use the routes during winter,” another Alpha countered immediately. “Shadow Crest has a larger export movement this season.”

“Which is not my problem.”

“It becomes your problem when your patrols delay shipments.”

The room dissolved into overlapping arguments almost instantly.

I nearly smiled.

This was exactly why I preferred power over diplomacy.

Power was simple.

People either obeyed or they didn’t.

Meetings like this, however, were exhausting in an entirely different way. Too much talking. Too much pretending. Too many old men disguising greed as political negotiation.

Still… I enjoyed watching them try to outmaneuver each other.

The massive council chamber overlooked the frozen cliffs surrounding my territory while servants moved quietly between tables refilling glasses and replacing documents. Representatives from five neighboring packs sat around the room discussing winter trade agreements, patrol boundaries, and military routes.

And every single one of them kept glancing toward me.

Curious about the young female Alpha who inherited an entire territory after her father’s death.

Some looked doubtful.

Some cautious.

Others simply intrigued.

I preferred the cautious ones.

“At minimum,” Alpha Darius continued firmly, “the northern crossings should remain jointly monitored.”

I finally spoke for the first time in nearly ten minutes.

“No.”

Silence followed instantly.

Alpha Darius blinked once. “Excuse me?”

“The crossings belong to my territory,” I replied calmly while swirling the wine inside my glass. “Therefore my guards will monitor them.”

One of the older Alphas frowned slightly. “Joint patrols maintain balance between territories.”

“Joint patrols create unnecessary dependence.”

The older Alpha’s expression tightened immediately.

I smiled faintly before setting my glass down.

“If another pack needs access to my territory routes, they’ll pay for it.”

A few surprised glances spread across the table. Someone muttered quietly under their breath. I ignored it.

“You negotiate aggressively for someone newly crowned,” Alpha Darius observed carefully.

I met his gaze without hesitation.

“And yet you’re still negotiating.”

That silenced him completely. A servant approached carefully then, placing fresh documents beside me before quickly stepping away again.

The room returned to quieter discussion afterward while trade numbers and route calculations continued across the table.

Normally, I enjoyed this part.

Politics.

Today, however, something felt wrong. A strange pressure settled slowly beneath my skin. My brows furrowed slightly.

I straightened subtly in my seat while trying to ignore it. The pressure worsened. Like heat moving through my veins far too quickly.

“…Alpha Ciara?”

I blinked once.

The Alpha across from me frowned slightly. “Your thoughts?”

I forced my expression to be neutral immediately.

“The proposal is acceptable,” I answered smoothly.

Lie.

I barely heard what he said. The pressure beneath my skin intensified suddenly. My heartbeat became uneven. Something twisted violently inside my chest.

The room suddenly felt too warm. Voices blurred together around me while the burning sensation spread higher through my arms and throat. I gripped the edge of the table tightly.

“Alpha?”

I stood abruptly. Several people looked toward me immediately.

“My apologies,” I said calmly despite the chaos rising inside my body. “Continue without me for a moment.”

Without waiting for permission or response, I walked out of the council chamber immediately. The heavy doors shut behind me with a loud echo. The moment I entered the hallway, my breathing worsened.

What the hell was happening?

The pressure beneath my skin pulsed harder now. I pressed one hand against the wall while trying to steady myself. For one terrifying moment, it almost felt like multiple things inside me were pulling in different directions at once.

Wolf instinct.

Something colder.

Something else entirely. My stomach twisted painfully.

“No…” I whispered sharply.

Footsteps approached nearby. A maid carrying folded clothes rounded the corridor corner before freezing at the sight of me.

“Alpha?”

I barely looked at her.

“Leave.”

The maid hesitated nervously. “Are you alright?”

“I said leave.”

The pressure exploded violently beneath my skin. The maid gasped suddenly. Then, her body lifted off the ground.

I froze.

The maid’s eyes widened in terror while an invisible force tightened violently around her throat.

“What..”

A sickening crack echoed through the hallway. Her body collapsed instantly.

Silence.

Complete silence.

I stared at the body. The folded clothes scattered slowly across the floor beside the corpse while blood trickled faintly from the corner of her mouth. For several seconds, I couldn’t move.

The pressure inside me vanished immediately afterward. Like nothing had happened. My heartbeat pounded violently in my ears.

“How…”

The word came out barely audible. I looked down slowly at my own hands. They were shaking out of control. Cold fear crawled through my chest for the first time in years.

I didn’t touch her.

I didn’t move or even shift from where I stood. Yet the woman was dead. The horrifying realization settled slowly inside my mind. The corridor suddenly felt suffocating. I stepped backward instinctively while staring at the body.

What is happening to me?

I looked at the body one last time in complete disbelief. The maid’s eyes remained half open, frozen in terror, blood still staining the corner of her mouth while the folded clothes lay scattered across the floor around her.

Dead.

Because of me.

A cold wave of panic crawled violently through my chest. For the first time in years, I felt something dangerously close to fear.

I stepped back again before turning sharply away from the body, my pulse hammering violently in my ears. Then I stormed down the corridor toward my chambers, trying desperately to ignore the horrifying realization repeating endlessly inside my mind.

Something inside me was changing and I no longer understood what I was capable of. Mother should have an answer to this. She always does. My mind went back to the letters I found and I wondered if it had anything to do with this Korvus man.