Healers swarm Sera the moment we carry her into the medical lodge. They lay her on a cot, cutting away her torn sleeve to examine her arm. The bone juts at a wrong angle. She hisses through her teeth.
"Broken in three places," the lead healer says, probing gently.
Darius appears in the doorway. "Can she speak?"
The healer nods. "I need to set the bones, but she can talk first. Briefly."
Within minutes, the council gathers. Warriors crowd into the medical lodge, faces grim. Kieran stands beside me.
"Two days ago," Sera begins, her voice tight with pain. "During a council meeting. Ashrock accused Rhys of weakness—" She pauses to breathe through a wave of pain. "Ashrock challenged Rhys to single combat for the Alpha position."
"And Rhys accepted?" Darius asks.
"No. Rhys refused." Sera's voice strengthens slightly. "He cited pack law—illegal coups require Council of Alphas mediation."
"But Ashrock didn't care about legality," Kieran says quietly.
"No. He claimed the Alpha position right there in the council chamber." Sera grips my hand. "His supporters dragged Rhys outside. Beat him in front of the whole pack."
My stomach turns. "How badly?"
"Bad enough. They chained him in the central square like a criminal." Her voice cracks. "Elder Maren tried to intervene. They had her arrested." Sera closes her eyes. "Then Ashrock addressed the pack. I was there. I heard every word."
She recites from memory. "Our previous Alpha let sentiment weaken us. I won't repeat his mistakes. Tonight, we march on Nightshade. We'll burn them to ash and reclaim our rightful territory."
The lodge falls silent. I can hear my own heartbeat.
"Rhys was still conscious," Sera continues. "He spat blood at Ashrock’s feet. Ashrock kicked him in the ribs. Hard. I heard something crack even from where I stood." Sera's eyes fill with tears. "Then Ashrock laughed and said that by tomorrow's sunrise, you'll be nothing but ash and memory."
"Tomorrow," Darius says. "At dawn."
"Yes." Sera nods. "That's why I ran. I knew you needed warning. But I also knew—" she reaches inside her dress with her good hand.
She pulls out a leather-bound journal.
"I knew you'd need more than my word," she says, handing it to me.
My hands shake as I take it. "What is this?"
"Alpha Torrhen's private journal. Rhys's father." Sera leans back. "During the coup, the pack house was in complete disarray. I remembered I used to clean Rhys's father's study. There was a locked drawer in his desk. I knew where he kept the key."
Kieran steps closer. "You went back to steal a journal?"
"I went back to get proof." Sera meets his eyes. "When Ardena told me about Bloodfang, I knew there had to be evidence somewhere."
"So you risked your life," I say softly.
"I grabbed the journal and ran. Made it to the second floor before Ashrock's men spotted me." She gestures to her arm. "The only escape was through the window. So I jumped."
"You're lucky you didn't break your neck," the healer says, shaking his head. Then he steps forward. "That's enough. I need to set these bones before they heal wrong."
"Read it," Sera says to me. "Your parents didn't deserve what happened to them."
The healer gives her something for the pain. Her eyes start to droop. "None of the Bloodfang wolves did."
I open the journal with trembling hands. The first entry is dated twenty years ago. Alpha Torrhen's handwriting is precise. Controlled.
"Read it aloud," Darius says quietly.
I clear my throat and begin.
"Ashrock presents a compelling case. The Bloodfang lands border three territories. If we control them, we control northern trade routes. They refuse every offer to join our alliance. Stubborn fools."
My voice wavers. Kieran's hand finds my shoulder, steadying me.
"Council of Alphas denies our petition to annex Bloodfang territory. Too aggressive, they say. Politics. Always politics."
The entries continue. I flip through pages, reading the most horrible passages aloud.
"Ashrock suggests a different approach: provoke them into attacking first. Self-defense is always justified."
"The ambush worked perfectly. Three of our warriors were wounded, one killed. Enough to justify retaliation. The council will have to approve now."
"We move at dawn. Ashrock volunteers to lead the strike personally. He's eager. Perhaps too eager. But he's effective."
My hands shake so badly I almost drop the journal. Kieran takes it from me gently, finding the final entry. He reads in a voice like stone.
"It's done. Ashrock reports complete success. No survivors except one child—too young to pose a threat. I've arranged for adoption into a loyal family. Ashrock is already crafting the official report: Bloodfang attacked our territory unprovoked, we responded in self-defense. The council will accept it. They always do."
Silence falls across the lodge.
"They framed my people," I whisper.
"Not just your people," Darius says, his voice hard. "They're planning to do the same to us."
"This is enough," a warrior says. "We present this to the Council of Alphas."
"We will," Kieran says. "But first, we stop him from burning Nightshade. Then we bring Ashrock to justice."
Darius nods and looks at me. "Your testimony, combined with this journal and Sera's witness account—it's undeniable. The Council will have to act."
"If we survive tomorrow," someone mutters.
"We will," Kieran says with absolute certainty.
Darius begins issuing orders. Warriors disperse to prepare defenses, gather weapons, send messages to outlying patrols.
I stay with Sera while the healer sets her bones. She's unconscious now, the pain medicine finally taking full effect.
"She saved us," I tell Kieran quietly. "Without this journal, we'd just be rogues making accusations."
"She saved more than us," he says. "She saved the truth."
Outside, I hear warriors preparing. Sharpening weapons. Running drills. Making ready for the battle that will come with dawn.
Sera stirs slightly, mumbling in her drugged sleep. The healer checks her bandages, nods with satisfaction.
"She'll heal," he says. "The bones are set properly. She'll need time, but she'll be fine."
"Good." I stand, still holding the journal. "Because when this is over, I want her to stand with us before the Council. I want everyone to hear what she risked to bring us the truth."
The night stretches ahead, full of preparation and anticipation.
Dawn is coming.
And with it, war.