Chapter 52

Victoria The grandfather clock in my father's study chimed eleven times, each resonant tone echoing through the silent room. I'd been sitting at his massive oak desk for hours now, surrounded by stacks of documents that demanded immediate attention. The responsibility of being Howlthorne's acting Alpha had descended upon me with crushing weight, leaving little time to process everything that had happened since my return. My fingers traced the edge of a territory agreement that needed renewal by the end of the month. The neighboring Cedar Moon Pack had been allies with Howlthorne for generations, but would they honor the agreement with a half-blood at the helm? With a female? These questions plagued me as I sorted through the mountain of paperwork. "Father would be proud," I whispered to myself, trying to draw strength from the thought. *He always believed in you,* Ava murmured within me. *Even when you didn't believe in yourself.* Ava had been restless all evening, sensing my exhaustio