The presence of Alpha Maximus Shaw had made the Silverwind Fortress's hallways colder, not the weather.
He had unexpectedly returned early from a border inspection. There was a silent change in the hallways as he arrived—warriors sat up straighter, advisors spoke more deliberately, and even the walls appeared to tense under his eyes.
However, Thomas was the one who was most affected by his father's return.
As Thomas arrived, Maximus was seated at the head of the war table in the great hall, tapping his fingers in a measured rhythm against the carved wood.
Maximus said, "You're late," without raising his gaze.
The western patrols were delayed, and one of the scouts—" "Spare me the excuses." "Tell me instead: why does your Luna walk with the grace of a queen and the cold of a widow?"
Thomas flinched, taken by surprise. "She carries her duties well. There have been no complaints—"
"And yet there is no unity," Maximus interrupted. "The two of you are strangers under one roof. I can feel it—so can the pack." Thomas paused, jaw tight.
Maximus got up slowly and deliberately from his chair. "Son, peace is a flame. It dies if it isn't fed. And all I can see right now is smoke."
The alpha strode over to the window and gazed down at the courtyard where Serafina practiced swordplay by herself, her movements precise and piercing.
"She was meant to be your connection. A bridge connecting Silverwind and Nightwind. But all I see is frost, not a bond. His eyes narrowed, his voice lowered. "Is there another person?"
Thomas tensed. "No."
Maximus turned abruptly and glared at him. You don't remember that I was a son once. I am aware of the symptoms. The quiet. the hesitancy. The separation. He moved in closer. You are married to a woman who has the power to uplift this pack and bear children who will continue our lineage and protect our position in the North. Despite this, you treat her like a cage.
At his sides, Thomas's hands clenched into fists. "It was an alliance, not love, that made you ask me to marry her."
"I asked you to take the lead!" Maximus let out a roar. "To put your legacy ahead of your emotions." She's not yours to win. And now everything is at risk because of your failure.
No blade could cut as deeply as the words.
Thomas remarked icily, "I never asked for this." She didn't either. Your will is being respected. But where there is no bond, you cannot command one.
Maximus stepped back, his eyes narrowing. "Now you would disobey me?"
Thomas met his gaze evenly. "I would defend what remains of my soul."
The wind scraping against the fortress walls was the only sound to break the tense silence that ensued.
Maximus turned away at last, his voice cold and low. "If you don't fix it I will. This union will accomplish its goal in one way or another."
The shadows behind Thomas lengthened as he walked out of the hall, his father's presence looming like an unrelenting storm.