(Florian’s POV)

    “Yes,” Cassandra confirmed, her voice sharp with excitement through the packm-link. “My acquaintance has met Alpha Luna Riverwind twice at territorial gatherings in the past moon cycle.”

    I adjusted my position in the wheeled healing chair, ignoring the dull ache in my leg. “And?”

    “She managed to connect with Luna Riverwind on the packm-link,” Cassandra continued. “Apparently, Luna Riverwind posted something interesting on her pack social feedst moon cycle.”

    My interest piqued immediately. “What did she post?”

    Cassandra made a frustrated sound. “That’s the thing. Her posts have been visible only to close pack connections for the past six moon cycles.”

    “Then how did your acquaintance see it?” I demanded, my patience wearing thin.

    “She didn’t see the exact content,” Cassandra exined. “But from what others have mentioned, it was about receiving a ‘gift from the Moon Goddess’ or something simrly dramatic.”

    I drummed my fingers against the arm of my wheeled healing chair. “A gift? What kind of gift?”

    “The post included a scent-marked image of Luna Riverwind with a she-wolf in her twenties,” Cassandra said. “Everyone in her pack circle has been talking about it.”

    Something clicked in my mind. I immediately pulled up an image of Lyra Riverwind-the impostor who had pretended to be Serena Shadowcrest two years ago and sent it to Cassandra.

    “Ask your acquaintance if this is the same she-wolf from Luna Riverwind’s post,” I instructed.

    “I’ll send it right away,” Cassandra replied. “Though she might be busy with pack council duties.”

    I leaned back, my golden eyes narrowing as I contemted the implications. How could a daughter in her twenties suddenly appear in Luna Riverwind’s life? If she was truly her daughter, where had she been until now? With her father’s pack, perhaps?

    Something didn’t add up. And I was certain it had to do with me or Audrey Winter-or both.

    “This can’t be coincidence,” I muttered, more to myself than to Cassandra. “Lyra Riverwind posed as Serena Shadowcrest two years ago in the Shadowcrest pack, and now she’s Alpha Luna Riverwind’s daughter?”

    “You think there’s a connection?” Cassandra asked.

    “There has to be,” I insisted. “I need to find a way to connect with Luna Riverwind, discover what she knows.”

    “That won’t be easy,” Cassandra warned. “She’s notoriously selective about her pack connections.”

    Before I could respond, Cassandra’s pack device chimed. “Hold on, my acquaintance is responding.”

    There was a pause, and I could hear Cassandra’s sharp intake of breath.

    “Florian,” she said, her voice tense. “She confirms it’s the same she-wolf.”

    The confirmation sent my mind racing. What game was Luna Riverwind ying? And how did it connect to Audrey?

    “I need to investigate further,” I decided, already formting a n. “This goes beyond simple maniption. There’s something bigger at y.”

    “Be careful, cousin,” Cassandra cautioned. “You’re still recovering.”

    I smiled grimly. “Recovery can wait. Truth can’t.”

    (Audrey’s POV)

    I sat in my living area, lost in thought. The events of the past few days swirled in my mind like autumn leaves caught in a whirlwind-Florian’s anger, Nathan’s visit, the truth about my two years away still lodged in my throat like a bone.

    “Sister Audrey?”

    A soft voice pulled me from my reverie. Leo stood at the edge of the hallway, his small head peeking around the corner, his golden eyes wide and uncertain.

    “Leo forgot he doesn’t have any territory clothes yet,” he said shyly, clutching the towel around his small body.

    I smiled at his use of “Sister Audrey”—a step down from his previous “Luna Aunt” but still endearingly affectionate. Rising from the sofa, I went to my bedroom and rummaged through my clothing storage, eventually finding a soft tunic that might serve as a makeshift sleepwear for him.

    “This should work for tonight,” I told him, returning to the hallway. “Tomorrow we’ll order some proper clothes through the pack delivery service.”

    I had no desire to venture downstairs to Florian’s territory den after his behavior earlier, especially not for something as simple as Leo’s clothes. The pack delivery service would solve our problem without requiring any interaction with him. Leo nodded obediently, reaching for the tunic. As he did, I noticed several soap bubbles still clinging to his dark hair.

    “Wait,” I said, unable to suppress a smile. “You still have bubbles in your hair. Let’s rinse them off first.”

    I led him back to the territory washroom, where I carefully washed the remaining bubbles from his hair. When he was finally clean, I wrapped him in a fresh, soft fur-lined towel and carried him to the living room, cing him gently on the sofa.

    As I toweled his hair dry, Leo suddenly reached up and cupped my face with his small paws. His eyes filled with concern as his tiny fingers gently touched the bruise on my lip.

    “Sister Audrey, how did you get hurt?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly. “Does it hurt?”

    My heart melted at his genuine concern. Florian had bitten my lip harder than he probably intended when his anger overtook him. The mark would take days to healpletely, making public pack gatherings awkward to attend. But I didn’t want to worry Leo.

    “It was just an ident, pup,” I assured him, shaking my head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

    Leo’s eyes welled with tears. “Sister Audrey is lying!” he cried, his lower lip quivering. “It looks very painful! Wuwuwu, Uncle is a bad wolf!”

    I froze. How did he know Florian was responsible? He had been in the territory washroom when it happened.

    “Why do you say Uncle is a bad wolf?” I asked cautiously.

    Leo wiped his tears with his chubby paws, his expression indignant. “Mommy said that if a she-wolf gets hurt, it’s the male wolf’s fault!”

    I couldn’t help butugh, both from relief and genuine amusement. Cassandra Stormhowl was clearly raising Leo with very specific values, shaping him into a perfect little gentleman-wolf. It was evident she had suffered in her previous mate bond and wanted better for her son.

    I chuckled, picking up my pack device from the coffee table. “Come on,” I said, pinching Leo’s cheek affectionately before pulling him into a hug. “Let’s pick out some territory clothes for you. And anything else you want, we’ll get it too.”

    “Yay!” Leo eximed, instantly cheered up. He scrambled from the sofa to where Nova was resting and threw his arms around the wolf-dog hybrid’s neck. “Nova too!”

    Nova responded with a gentle lick to Leo’s face, making the pup giggle with delight.

    Two days passed in peaceful routine. Leo and I settled into afortable pattern, his sweet nature making him an easy houseguest. I finished my healing formtion design for Luna Riverwind and gathered the materials I needed.

    On the morning of the third day, a forceful knock echoed through my territory den. I opened the door to find Sarah Mitchell standing there, threerge travel packs at her feet and an energetic smile on her face.

    “See, am I fast enough?” she asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

    “Fast, fast, fast,” I replied with a grin, helping her bring in the heavy travel packs.

    “Is everything here?” I asked, anxious to check the rare herbs and materials I needed for Luna Riverwind’s formtion. Sarah had agreed to bring them from Winter’s Remedy when she came to Central Territory City to discuss expanding our physical pack market stalls.

    “Totallyplete,” Sarah assured me, tossing the travel packs aside carelessly. She kicked off her hunting boots and flopped onto my sofa dramatically. “I’m so hot! Get me some moonlight nectar, iced.”

    “Okay!” Leo’s voice chirped before I could answer.

    The pup dashed to the cooling unit in the kitchen area, his small body struggling to open the heavy door. Standing on his tiptoes, he reached for a sk, his face scrunched with concentration.

    Sarah raised her eyebrows at me. “Is this Florian Stormhowl’s nephew?”

    I nodded. I’d been chatting with Sarah daily via our packm-link, so she knew all about my houseguest. “Yes, isn’t he adorable?”

    I walked over to help Leo, grabbing a sk of chilled moonlight nectar and handing it to him. He beamed with pride as he carried it carefully to Sarah, presenting it with both paws.

    “Pack Sister Sarah! Have some nectar!” he said sweetly.

    Sarah’s expression softened immediately. “Adorable, adorable,” she cooed, epting the sk. “Oh my, it’s been moon cycles since a pup called me ‘Pack Sister’. You’re such a sweetie.”

    Leo grinned widely. “Hehe, Luna Aunt Cassandra also says Leo is sweet!”

    Since staying with me, Leo had been nothing but delightful-obedient when needed, yful at appropriate times, and always considerate. He knew when to be quiet while I worked on healing formtions and when it was okay to be boisterous.

    Sarah caught my eye, a teasing glint in her gaze. “Luna Aunt, oh? When did you quietly be a Luna Aunt? I didn’t even know.”

    I felt heat creep up my neck. “He’s just a pup; don’t take him seriously.”

    Eager to change the subject, I moved to thergest travel pack and carefully opened it, ensuring my hands were meticulously clean and free of any lingering scents. Inside were two precious satchels of rare, enchanted herbs-exactly what I needed for Luna Riverwind’s special formtion.

    I carried them reverently to my healing formtion workshop, a small, well-ventted room that I had set up soon after moving in.

    “Audrey, your pack device is chiming,” Sarah called from the living area. “It’s Luna Yvette Riverwind’s call.”

    “Coming,” I called back, quickly securing the herbs before hurrying out.

    I picked up my pack device and answered, “Hello, Luna, are you in Central Territory City?”