Chapter 58: Chapter 58 A Seat at the Table
Victoria
A month later.
The morning light filtered through the tall windows of my bedroom at Howlthorne Manor as I studied my reflection in the full-length mirror. The woman staring back at me was almost unrecognizable from the frightened girl who had once cowered under Enzo’s threats. My dark hair was swept up into an elegant twist, accentuating the clean lines of my charcoal gray power suit. At my throat gleamed two pendants—the Howlthorne Alpha emblem and, beneath it, hidden from casual view, my mother’s sylvan pendant.
"You look every inch the Alpha," Rosa said, adjusting the lapel of my jacket with motherly pride. She had insisted on coming to Howlthorne Manor to help me prepare for today’s crucial meeting.
"I feel like I’m playing dress-up." I admitted, smoothing my hands over the tailored pants.
*They will only see what you allow them to see,* Ava reminded me. Since discovering my dual heritage, our communication had grown clearer, our bond stronger.
Rosa stepped back, giving me an appraising look. "The Northern Territory Council has seen many Alphas come and go, but none quite like you, Victoria. Use that to your advantage."
A knock at the door preceded Leo’s entrance. He paused in the doorway, his eyes darkening as they traveled slowly over my appearance.
"The car is ready," he said, his voice deeper than usual. "You look... formidable."
Rosa smiled knowingly and excused herself, leaving us alone. Leo crossed the room in three long strides, stopping just short of touching me.
"The last month has changed you," he observed, his gaze intense.
I met his eyes without flinching. "For better or worse?"
"Better. Definitely better." His hand reached up to touch my cheek. "You’ve always been strong, little wolf, but now you know it."
The pet name no longer felt diminishing—it had evolved into something intimate, an acknowledgment of both my werewolf nature and my sylvan heritage that seemed to harmonize with the wild places within me.
"Are you ready to face them?" he asked, his thumb brushing over my lower lip.
"As ready as I’ll ever be," I replied, leaning into his touch. "The Howlthorne Pack needs this alliance. We’ve worked too hard rebuilding to let Marcus’s scheming undo everything."
Leo’s expression hardened at the mention of Marcus Grimwood. In the month since discovering my mother’s study and my true heritage, we’d gathered substantial intelligence on the Crimson Claw Alpha. His connections to Aurora’s disappearance and my father’s death grew more apparent with each piece of evidence we uncovered.
"Remember the strategy," Leo said, his hand dropping to take mine. "You don’t need to convince all of them today. Just plant enough doubt about Marcus’s intentions to prevent any immediate alliances against us."
I nodded. "And you’ll be watching?"
His smile turned predatory. "From the shadows, where I’m most comfortable. No one will know Shadow Pack has any interest in this meeting."
"Good," I said, gathering my portfolio and phone. "Then let’s remind the Northern Territory exactly who the Howthornes are."
---
The Northern Territory Council Chamber was housed in a magnificent glass and stone building that reflected the surrounding pine forests. As befitting the neutral ground for werewolf diplomacy, it combined modern luxury with traditional pack symbols—massive timbers harvested during full moons, stone quarried from each pack’s territory, and glass that allowed the occupants to remain connected to the natural world while conducting their business.
When I entered the circular chamber, accompanied only by Garrett as my Beta, the conversations dimmed to curious whispers. Six massive chairs surrounded the ancient oak table—five occupied by the Northern Territory’s most powerful Alphas, with the sixth—my father’s former seat—standing conspicuously empty.
Elder Maxwell, the white-haired moderator who had known my father for decades, approached me first. His weathered face creased into a smile that didn’t quite reach his calculating eyes.
"Alpha Howlthorne," he greeted formally.
"Elder Maxwell," I replied, offering the traditional neck-baring gesture of respect while maintaining eye contact—a delicate balance between deference and strength. "Thank you for recognizing my right to represent Howlthorne Pack in my brother’s absence."
"The council recognizes blood rights," he said simply, gesturing toward the empty chair. "Though some questioned whether you were... prepared for such responsibility."
I smiled thinly, hearing the challenge beneath his diplomatic phrasing. "I was raised by Dominic Howlthorne, Elder. Preparation runs in my blood."
A rumble of appreciation came from one of the seated Alphas—Helena Stone, leader of the Granite Ridge Pack and the only female Alpha present besides myself.
"The girl has her father’s spine, if not his years," she commented, her voice carrying across the chamber. "Let’s see if she has his mind as well."
I inclined my head toward her, recognizing both the challenge and the opportunity in her words. Helena had been one of my father’s few true allies on the council.
As I moved toward my seat, a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped into my path. Alpha Richard Kane of the Stone Lake Pack radiated hostility, his Beta hovering just behind his right shoulder.
"This is highly irregular," he said loudly enough for all to hear. "The Howlthorne seat belongs to Alpha Enzo, not his half-blood sister playing pretend while he’s... indisposed."
The chamber fell silent. My heart hammered against my ribs, but I kept my expression neutral as I met his gaze.
"My brother’s current whereabouts are precisely why I stand before you, Alpha Kane," I replied, my voice steady despite the insult. "As you well know, Enzo has been missing for a month. Until he is found—alive or otherwise—Howlthorne blood must represent Howlthorne interests."
"Convenient timing," another voice called out—Alpha Blackwell of the River Valley Pack, a portly man whose political shrewdness belied his jovial appearance. "Your brother vanishes, and suddenly you claim a seat you’ve never shown interest in before."
I turned to face him, feeling Ava stir restlessly within me. "I’ve never shown interest in breathing either, Alpha Blackwell, yet I do it instinctively to survive. The Howlthorne Pack’s survival is similarly instinctive to me."
A few appreciative chuckles broke the tension.
"Perhaps," Elder Maxwell intervened, "we should commence the formal meeting and address these concerns through proper protocol."
I took my seat—my father’s seat—feeling its weight and significance. Garrett stood behind me, silent but watchful, as the meeting began with traditional territory acknowledgments and pack reports.
When my turn came, I spoke clearly and confidently about the Howlthorne Pack’s recovery efforts—our strengthened borders, renewed trade agreements, and streamlined leadership structure. I made no mention of Leo or Shadow Pack’s involvement, presenting the improvements as internal reorganization.
"Impressive for one month’s work," Helena commented when I finished. "Especially for someone with no previous leadership experience."
"I’ve been preparing for leadership my entire life, Alpha Stone," I replied, meeting her evaluating gaze. "Just not in the way anyone expected."
She nodded, a flicker of respect in her eyes.
"And what of your brother’s debts?" Alpha Kane interjected, leaning forward aggressively. "Rumor has it Enzo Howlthorne owes considerable sums to multiple packs—including some represented at this table."
The trap was obvious. If I acknowledged the debts, I admitted Howlthorne weakness. If I denied them, I’d be caught in a lie that would undermine any credibility I’d built.
"My brother’s personal finances and the Howlthorne Pack treasury are separate matters," I replied carefully. "Any legitimate claims against Enzo will be addressed once he is found. Any legitimate claims against Howlthorne Pack resources will be honored according to our long-standing tradition of integrity in business."
"Spoken like a true politician," Alpha Bernard said with a smirk. "Saying much while committing to nothing."
I met his gaze evenly. "I commit to what is right and just, Alpha West. Nothing more, nothing less."
"And what of the rumors that Shadow Pack has taken interest in your... situation?" Alpha Marcus Grimwood finally spoke, his deep voice sending an involuntary chill down my spine.
I turned to face him directly for the first time, taking in his imposing figure—tall and broad-shouldered, with silver-streaked dark hair and a black eye patch covering his right eye. The very man who had orchestrated my father’s death and my mother’s disappearance sat less than ten feet away, watching me with calculated interest.