"Yes, I thought we wanted the same thing," Vivienne interjected quickly.
"Well," Claudia said, "I need to learn to start stepping aside anyway. I told you once before—this is my son's choice to make. Also," she added, the edge of steel sharpening her tone, "I suggest you speak with the newly appointed Alpha's advisor before you proceed to speak with the Alpha about this if you do not want to lose your heads."
"You lot have jumped so many guns," Claudia said sharply. She rose slowly from her seat. "You skipped Cyril, his Beta. You skipped Walters. You skipped me to introduce a prospective Luna to his wolf? The audacity, Vivienne. Truly. I cannot believe you would abuse our friendship this way."
Claudia had bled for this pack. She had killed her own husband with her own hands, buried him before his time. She had learned when to bend and when to snap bones in half. Vivienne knew all of this. That was what made this betrayal sting so deeply.
