Wolves along the perimeter stiffened instinctively.
Claudia smiled.
"I knew my boy would be a great Alpha," she said quietly. "But it's nice to see he has good instincts when it comes to choosing the people who surround him." Her gaze lingered on John. "Thank you."
John inclined his head slightly. "I'm just doing my job," he replied.
"I don't understand this part, though. It feels… deliberate. Like they're purposely trying to test the Alpha's patience." His jaw tightened. "Did anything like this happen during your husband's time?"
"Well," she said slowly, choosing her words with care, "my husband didn't fight his wolf. He accepted him. That made things simpler."
Her eyes hardened. "They don't want a weakling as Alpha. And in their minds, Eric—without Ravok fully bound to him—is exactly that."
Another distant growl rolled through the ground.
"Well," John said after a beat, straightening. "Let's get through tonight. Then we'll find a way to maintain balance."
