Evaline:
I took a slow, steady breath, trying to calm the fluttering chaos inside my chest.
It didn’t help much.
The hallway outside Alpha Orion Black’s office felt unusually quiet, almost suffocating in its stillness. My boots clicked softly against the polished marble floor as I stopped a few feet from the heavy wooden door.
Alpha Orion Black.
Even thinking his na made my spine straighten instinctively.
He wasn’t just another Alpha. He was one of the three powerful heads of the Werewolf Council... alongside River and Alpha Niles. Politically, socially, strategically... he was one of the most influential figures in our entire world.
And he had summoned .
.
A student. A new employee. Soone whose existence shouldn’t even be known to him.
The summon had co so suddenly that I still hadn’t fully processed it. One mont I had been finishing last of my works to head ho, the next I was being told that Alpha Black wanted to see imdiately.
Worse... neither River nor Elion had returned from their earlier eting, so I hadn’t even had the chance to talk to them.
Which ant I had walked here alone, nerves humming under my skin.
I hadn’t felt this nervous in a long ti.
The last ti had probably been when I t River for the first ti... or when I first stepped into Silver Moon Academy as the girl who had been given a second chance at life.
I exhaled slowly and lifted my hand to knock.
But before my knuckles could touch the door... it hit .
A familiar presence.
Warm. Powerful. Steady.
River.
The recognition slamd into through the haze of anxiety like a sudden beam of sunlight cutting through clouds. My mate bond responded instantly, wrapping around my senses, grounding .
He was inside.
The realization loosened sothing in my chest imdiately.
My shoulders dropped slightly and I let out another soft exhale, and then I knocked.
"Co in," an unfamiliar, yet authoritative and deep voice called from inside.
I pushed the door open and stepped into the office.
And froze for half a second.
River wasn’t the only one there.
Elion stood near one of the large windows, arms crossed loosely over his chest, his expression calm and unreadable. Three other senior figures from headquarters... people I recognized but never interacted with directly... were seated across the room.
And at the center, behind the wide desk, sat Alpha Orion Black himself.
The air in the room felt heavier than outside. Denser. Charged.
I resisted the instinct to look at River, even though I could feel his attention shift toward the mont I entered.
Focus Eva.
I walked forward and stopped at a respectful distance from the desk.
"You summoned , Alpha?" I asked and was relieved when my voice ca out steady.
Alpha Black studied for a mont.
His gaze was sharp but not hostile... more analytical than anything else. Like he was dissecting sothing only he could see.
"You are Evaline," he said.
"Yes, Alpha."
"It has co to my knowledge that you made the final report on the Postguard Towers developnt project."
It wasn’t phrased as a question. Still, I nodded. "Yes, Alpha."
Out of the corner of my eye, I sneaked a glance toward Elion.
He was sitting on one of the couches now, his posture relaxed, but his face gave nothing away. No hint of reassurance. No warning.
Which imdiately made doubt creep into my thoughts.
Had I made a mistake?
I had reread that report multiple tis. Cross-checked numbers. Verified projections. Elion himself had reviewed it before submission.
A mistake was almost impossible.
Unless...
Alpha Black didn’t like sothing in the report.
Before I could spiral too far into that possibility, he spoke again.
"What made you improvise the report?"
I blinked.
That... wasn’t what I expected.
For a split second I was thrown off, but I forced myself to gather my thoughts quickly.
"The initial data and proposals provided by the team were very strong," I began. "However, while compiling the final version, I noticed a few areas where adjustnts could potentially reduce cost without compromising structural strength."
I paused briefly, making sure my words were clear.
"When I previously worked as Alpha River’s assistant, I had access to past infrastructure project files," I continued. "So of those approaches seed applicable here. I compared them with the current data and found enough support to justify modifications."
I clasped my hands lightly in front of to stop them from fidgeting.
"So I improvised," I finished.
I expected so reaction.
Approval. Disapproval. Anything.
But Alpha Black’s expression remained neutral. Completely unreadable.
"What made you think," he asked calmly, "that as just a second year academy student and a new recruit... with only seven months of internship experience... you could produce a plan superior to one created by a team with significantly more experience than you?"
There was no accusation in his tone.
No mockery.
Just... genuine inquiry.
Which sohow made the question more intimidating.
But sothing inside settled - because now I understood.
This wasn’t about a mistake. This was about my decision.
And I wasn’t ashad of it.
I straightened slightly, eting his gaze fully.
"The team is highly experienced," I said honestly. "And their work was excellent. I did not assu I knew better than them."
I could feel River’s attention sharpen, even without looking at him.
"But as Alpha Grey’s assistant, and the person assigned to compile the final report, I had both the authority and the right to refine it where necessary," I continued. "The changes I made were not guesses. They were supported by comparative data, cost analysis, and precedent from previous projects."
I took a small breath.
"And before finalizing anything, I discussed my proposed adjustnts with the team mbers involved. I wanted their perspective and approval to ensure I wasn’t overlooking sothing from their field experience."
That part mattered. The respect mattered.
"I wasn’t trying to override anyone," I added. "I was trying to improve efficiency while maintaining integrity."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
asured.
I beca acutely aware of every person in the room.
Elion’s stillness.
The three senior officials watching with interest.
River’s presence... steady and powerful... like a quiet storm at my back.
Alpha Black kept his gaze fixed on . "You referenced Alpha River’s past projects," he said.
"Yes, Alpha."
"And did you know those were related to the Rogue Pack’s internal infrastructure and could potentially be the pack’s secrets?"
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