(Theodore’s POV)

    “No, Alpha,” Captain Ryker said, his voice strained as he tried to reason with me. “After thest attempt to take Luna Olivia from the Royal Infirmary, my sentinels are under heavy scrutiny from the Alpha King’s enforcers in the Sovereign’s Citadel.”

    I paced the room like a caged wolf, my hands clenched into fists. “I don’t care about the scrutiny!”

    “It’s impossible to extract her without causing a major territorial incident,” Ryker continued, his tone growing more urgent. “Alpha, you need to retreat. Luna Olivia will be safe under Master Healer Alistair’s care.”

    But I was losing control, the walls of my carefully constructed world crumbling around me. I grabbed Ryker’s cor, desperation wing at my throat.

    “If Olivia stays here, she’ll discover what I’ve done!” My voice cracked with raw panic. “She will despise mepletely, never want to see me again, and never forgive me.”

    The weight of my actions pressed down on me like a crushing stone. The shooting, the cover–up, the lies- everything woulde to light.

    Just then, my phone rang. I released Ryker and snatched it up.

    “Alpha Theodore, the witness has recanted their testimony,” the voice on the other end said quickly. “They

    im they were mistaken about seeing you with the killer.”

    A sliver of hope pierced through my despair. “What changed their mind?”

    “Unknown, but it buys you time.”

    I immediately made another call, my fingers trembling as I dialed. “I need someone who was present at the mating ceremony,” I said into the phone. “Anyone who can festify to my whereabouts during the shooting.”

    “I’m offering a handsome reward through the pack’smunicationwork,” I added, my voice growing

    steadier, “Find me witnesses. Find me alibis.”

    The line crackled with static before the response came. “We’ll put out the word, Alpha.”

    I hung up and turned to Ryker, who was watching me with concern. “Double the guard on all our territories,” I

    ordered. “And keep monitoring Matthew’s movements.”

    “Yes, Alpha”

    But even as I gave the orders, I knew I was fighting a losing battle. Time was running out, and Olivia was slipping further away from me with each passing hour

    (God’s POV)

    That night, rumors spread like wildfire on the werewolf forum about the famous actress Audrey being urgently taken to the medical room and personally cared for by the powerful Alpha King.

    Olivia saw the news when her subordinate, Bastian Miles, carelessly shared it in their secure work group chat through Shield Chain Technology’s encryptedwork.

    “Boss, look at this,” Bastian’s message appeared on her screen. “The King’s got himself a new she–wolf.”

    The apanying photo showed Audrey, wearing a medical mask, getting out of Matthew’s vehicle. Although she could only see his silhouette below the neck, Olivia recognized him immediately.

    The mark she had left on his neck was clearly visible.

    Her wolf Zoe stirred restlessly in her mind, wanting to find their mate and demand answers. The betrayal cut deep, sharper than any silver de.

    A momentter, a message from an encrypted contact appeared on her phone. The sender’s identity was as mysterious as Matthew himself.

    “Pack business.”

    The words felt hollow, like a p across her face. Pack business–was that what she was to him now?

    Hurt and disillusioned that the Alpha who had held her so tenderly justst night was now with another

    she–wolf, Olivia’s fingers moved with cold precision.

    She blocked his number, then Beta Tristan’s, severing all packmunication links. The digital silence that

    followed felt like a door mming shut.

    “So much for holding me while I sleep,” she whispered bitterly to herself.

    The following afternoon, Olivia took Bastian Miles to the Arcane Intelligence Division. The building hummed

    with supernatural energy, its walls lined with advanced technological equipment.

    They were met by Commander Garrett Flint, a stern–faced wolf with calcting eyes. Beside him stood a

    she–wolf whom Bastian was shocked to recognize.

    “Lydia?” Bastian’s voice cracked with surprise.

    “Hello, brother,” the she–wolf replied coldly. She was tall and athletic, with short–cropped hair and the bearing of a seasoned warrior.

    Lydia Miles had been living in the human territories for years, studying advanced warfare tactics. She eyed herzy, unambitious brother with disdain before turning a critical gaze on Olivia.

    Dressed in a crisp white blouse, dark jeans, and boots, with her hair in a neat ponytail, Olivia looked professional. But in Lydia’s mind, one word screamed out: “An empty vase with only beauty.”

    “So you’re the famous Luna,” Lydia said, her voice dripping with hostility. “I’ve heard so much about you,”

    Commander Flint cleared his throat ufortably. “Lydia, with her advanced military training and experience with human government defense systems, is highly qualified,” he exined to Olivia. “I had intended to hire both of you as consultants”

    Lydia’s eyes shed with anger. “Both of us? Commander, surely you don’t need two consultants for one position.”

    She stepped closer to Olivia, her posture aggressive. “Especially when one of them is only here because of her mate bond connection to the Alpha King.”

    Olivia didn’t back down. She met Lydia’s hostile gaze with calmposure.

    “I’m here because of my qualifications,” Olivia said evenly. “I have a vision for improving the Oracle Engine’s predictive capabilities.”

    “Oh really?” Lydia scoffed. “And what would a pampered Luna know about military strategy?”

    “The system could be integrated with the pack’s territory surveincework for real–time threat tracking. and disaster prevention,” Olivia continued, ignoring the insult.

    Lydiaughed harshly. “Pure fantasy from a pampered Luna who’s never seen realbat.”

    The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Commander Flint shifted nervously, clearly ufortable with the confrontation.

    “Ladies, perhaps we could-”

    “No,” Lydia interrupted, her eyes zing with challenge. “I propose apetition. A tactical simtion to

    determine who’s truly qualified for this position.”

    Olivia’s expression remained perfectly calm. “If I win, the consultant position is yours,” she stated quietly.

    “And if I win, you leave and nevere back,” Lydia shot back.

    Commander Flint stepped forward, rm written across his face. “This isn’t necessary. I fear the fallout if the

    Alpha King’s mate is-”

    “Humiliated?” Olivia finished, a slight smile ying at her lips. “Don’t worry, Commander. That won’t happen.”

    Both she–wolves were resolute, their gazes locked in silent battle. The challenge was epted.

    Thepetition took ce in the mainmand hall, surrounded by senior strategists and tech specialists.

    The air buzzed with anticipation as word spread through the building.

    Olivia sat down at her workstation with the same calm she’d shown throughout the confrontation. Her fingers moved across the keyboard with practiced ease.

    To the onlookers, it seemed she was casually running diagnostics whilepeting. In reality, she had unleashed something far more powerful.

    She activated her own advanced system that she had developed during her time as “Cipher.” The Oracle

    Engine enhancement roared to life, connecting to the Shadow Syndicate’s vastputationalwork.

    The system, which had been dormant in the supernatural dark web, awakened with unprecedented power.

    Lines of code flowed across her screen like digital lightning.

    Simultaneously, she discreetly essed ssified military databases. Within minutes, she found Lydia’s record–breaking performance on this exact tactical simtion.

    Olivia’s lips curved in a slight smile as she coolly engineered her own solution to surpass it by the slimmest of margins. Every calction was precise, every move deliberate.

    The simtion concluded with a soft chime. The results appeared on the main disy screen.

    Olivia had won decisively.

    While Bastian cheered ecstatically for his Queen, Lydia stared at her screen in utter disbelief

    “Impossible,” she whispered, her face pale with shock

    The she–wolf she had dismissed as a delicate, clueless Luna trophy had just effortlessly defeated her with skills that rivaled the most legendary strategists

    “How?” Lydia’s voice was barely audible. “How is this possible?”

    The room erupted in murmurs of amazement. Commander Flint looked between the two she–wolves, his expression a mixture of relief and awe.

    “Congrattions,” he said to Olivia. “The position is yours.”

    But Lydia couldn’t ept the result. Her pride, her reputation, everything she’d built was crumbling before her eyes.

    Stunned and unable to process what had just happened, she immediately took out her encryptedmunication device. Her fingers flew across the screen as she contacted her ally in the human territories.

    “Help me investigate someone, right now, immediately,” she typed urgently. “I want all her information–find out who she is!”