The Blood Moon Tavern bustled with activity tonight, exactly what I wanted for my "Have a Drink with the Alpha" campaign event. The familiar scent of beer, whiskey, and wolf permeated the air as I moved through the crowd, shaking hands, clapping shoulders, and engaging in the kind of casual conversation that didn't come naturally to me but was necessary for a future king.
"Alpha Thorne! Good to see you without the suit for once," called Bert, a gruff older wolf who'd served as a guard for my father decades ago.
I nodded, taking the seat he offered at the bar. "Sometimes even I need to unwind, Bert."
The bartender slid a draft beer toward me without being asked. I took a long sip, savoring the bitter taste while scanning the room. Every person here was from my pack, Shadow Crest wolves loyal to me and my family for generations. This should have been comfortable territory.
Yet my mind was elsewhere—upstairs in my mansion where Seraphina rested.
