Page 132 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Arnet took a sip, sighing. “I’d rather stay. The view has much improved in the past few minutes.” He winked at Fern, whose cheeks blushed and eyes fell back to the table.

Like father, like son.

“But the most dangerous wolfkin in the room will be Kyntha’s mother, Lady Katreena.”

“How so?”

“She is much more cunning than she lets on. Katreena has spent years turning the clans into her own personal game board, moving her family strategically. And after all of her maneuvering, she now stands poised to become the most powerful she-wolf in all the known territories, with her son as the heir to the Ironcoats and her daughter as the mate to the heir to the Sabletails. And you, my little sunbeam,” he said, tapping her on the nose, “are a piece she never accounted for, one that could easily surpass Kyntha’s position in the eyes of both Darion and the clan. She’ll want you gone.”

“But Kyntha already has Darion’s favor, and she will be his mate. I am no threat.”

“Oh, Fern…”

“Thank you, Alpha Arnet, for bringing up a topic that I think requires our attention today,” Katreena began, bowing her head and speaking softly.

She was lovely, with the same pale hair and skin as Kyntha, youthful enough she could have been mistaken for her sister rather than her mother. Her silk gown clung almost indecently to her curves, drawing the eye despite one’s best efforts to look away.

“I am… concerned about Alpha Darion’s choice in Naravekh.”

Alastair straightened in his seat. “My son has every right to choose a Naravekh. This is the way of wolfkin. Your own son has three.”

Cyran smiled to himself, and Katreena bowed again, deferring to his point. “I completely agree, Head Alpha Alastair. Only…”

Then she sighed, looking towards Dane as if asking for his permission to speak. He dipped his chin, and then she turned back to face the group. “To take a Naravekh while in the middle of a courtship is… well, it is as though Alpha Darion already suspects my daughter will fail in her duty to give him an heir, is it not?”

She waited a moment, carefully looking at each face around the table before landing on Cyran, placing a hand on his arm.

“My son took his Naravekh while he searches for a proper Lurvekh mate, and will dismiss them once he enters courtship. And Alpha Norden, did you not take a Naravekh only after your second pup with Lady Eilie was born still?”

Norden shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Aye,” he replied, a tinge of grief in his tone.

Katreena nodded again, affecting an expression similar to contrition, if Fern could believe the lady had ever actually experienced the emotion.

“It is of the utmost importance for a Lurvekh she-wolf to live as free from stress and pressure as possible when trying to conceive. But now she must compete with an omega born from humans?” She shook her head. “Alpha Darion will unwittingly keep her barren by hedging his bets towards another. It is setting her up for failure.”

Fern almost laughed, swallowing to keep the sound from escaping. It seemed Darion had a strong habit of doing that to the women around him.

She might have even struck up a kinship with Kyntha over the deficiencies of their shared alpha, if Kyntha weren’t such a horrid twat.

Darion spoke. “I appreciate your concern, Lady Katreena, and I would have waited until after the mating to take her as my Naravekh, but we couldn’t allow her to remain unclaimed for so long. It would have led to in-fighting, instability… chaos. The decision was in the clan’s best interest.”

Katreena put a hand on her chest, dipping her chin. “I understand completely. I have only been in the presence of her wonderfully tantalizing scent for a few minutes and already feel the effects. Truly, it is a testament to how disciplined you keep the wolfkin of the Sabletail Clan that wars have not already been fought over her.”

Fern began to sweat, worried that Katreena’s silken manipulation would have the whole room agreeing with her in seconds, just like how Kyntha had convinced the whole clan that Fern was a dangerous “tail-tease” when Jules had attempted to defend her after her beating.

Reinn had not been exaggerating about Katreena’s influence over her daughter, for truly, this was an art form that must have taken years to master. And even though Fern was fully aware that whatever was coming was going to go poorly for her, she couldn’t help but be impressed and ponder if she might learn something from today. Because if this was the manner of speaking that the wolfkin were accustomed to when it came to their she-wolves, it was little wonder Fern’s tongue displeased Darion so thoroughly.

“But it is precisely because she is an omega that complicates things,” Katreena continued. She then tilted her head. “Do you know why the courtship takes sixty days?”

Darion’s jaw tightened. “Tradition.”

“Tradition born from necessity,” she corrected.

Silence spread through the hall.

“Omegas are scarce, and alphas long ago discovered that mating a beta she-wolf alone was insufficient by comparison. Alliances failed, bonds fractured, alphas strayed, and beta mates grew resentful. A clan is nothing if not one large pack, and if the father and mother are in discord, it trickles down to every last wolfkin. Don’t you agree?”

Her gaze wandered toward Fern before continuing.