And when Addison laid out her plans—well-thought-out, efficient, and brilliantly strategic—those alphas were left speechless. One by one, they opened their doors to trade with her. The agreements weren't as generous as those under the previous alpha, but they were enough to keep her pack from withering away.
In truth, she had led her people through a storm. And that fire-forged experience had turned her into the leader they always hoped she would become.
"It's alright, Father. How about a sparring match?" Addison suggested, trying to steer the conversation away from memories that weighed heavily on her. If there was anyone she truly missed from the Midnight River Pack, it would be Levi—and a handful of others who had treated her kindly.
"Ah, right! It's been a while since we last sparred," the Alpha King said, his mood shifting immediately. "I want to see if you've gotten rusty." The somber thoughts were pushed aside without complaint.
