Seven was mid-laugh with his men when the front gates slammed open.

Rodrigo was walking toward him, his strides long and heavy, his expression fixed into a tight frown. Seven glanced at the men gathered around the stone table and they dispersed before Rodrigo reached them, chairs scraping back, cups left half full.

Seven stood and bowed his head. ’’Alpha.’’

Rodrigo sat without answering. He reached across, picked up one of the cups and filled it from the jug, and downed it in one go before Seven could get a word out. The cup came down hard on the stone table.

Seven closed his mouth. He sat down slowly across from him and said nothing.

Rodrigo’s thumb drove into the base of the cup, pressing in slow circles. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular, and Seven had learned a long time ago what that look meant. He kept his hands flat on the table and waited.

I don’t love him.

The words had been sitting in Rodrigo’s chest since the corridor, turning over and over. He hadn’t been able to shake them loose. He wasn’t expecting she would be in love with him — he knew that, he had always known that — but Dante. What were they to each other? How long had it been going on?

Was she in love with him?

His jaw clenched tighter.

’’Is everything alright,’’ Seven asked carefully, both hands flat on the table, his eyes dropping once to the vein running up Rodrigo’s forearm before coming back up.

Rodrigo looked at him for a moment. ’’Any news from the informant.’’

Seven blinked. He paused, then nodded. ’’No news yet,’’ he said, holding his gaze. ’’But we should receive a reply anytime soon.’’

Rodrigo nodded and looked out across the courtyard, his brows still drawn tight.

Seven had not seen him like this before. He looked like he could burn anything that came within reach.

’’Tonight’s the full moon,’’ Seven said, keeping his voice even. ’’The pack’s seers are already working on stalling it, but they reported it might be difficult this time. It’s been stalled since the beginning of the year. They cannot promise.’’

Rodrigo’s eyes came back to him. ’’So you are saying?’’

Seven stiffened and cleared his throat. ’’There might be a full moon tonight.’’

Rodrigo’s hand went still around the cup. ’’Nine full moons left?’’

Seven’s gaze lowered. He didn’t reply.

’’It must be stopped,’’ Rodrigo said, his voice dropping. ’’By any means necessary, understood?’’

’’Yes, Alpha.’’

There was a moment of silence, then Rodrigo looked at him.

’’Reinforce the patrol lycans in the human concentrated cities,’’ he paused, ’’Just in case, to reduce casualties as much as possible.’’

Seven nodded, just then his eyes caught on something across the courtyard and he turned.

The Luna had stepped out of the inner gates. Her strides were long as she turned toward the living quarters, her hair falling down her back, lifting slightly in the wind. She didn’t look toward them.

Seven turned back to the Alpha.

Rodrigo was watching her. His thumb had gone still against the cup, his hand loosening around it, the set of his shoulders dropping a fraction — almost nothing, almost unnoticeable, but Seven caught it. He watched Rodrigo’s face and kept his mouth shut until she disappeared through the east gate.

Rodrigo was still watching the space where she’d been.

Seven cleared his throat.

Rodrigo blinked and turned back to him, his frown deepening with irritation, ’’You were saying?’’

’’We got a few leads from the Black Auction,’’ Seven said, leaning forward slightly on the table.

The frown eased immediately. ’’Any positive news?’’

’’Yes,’’ Seven said. ’’I wanted to inform you earlier but had to wait for the coronation to finish.’’ He lowered his voice. ’’There is word that the earthstone is being brought to the next auction.’’

Rodrigo’s eyes narrowed. ’’What.’’ his voice dropped. ’’How sure are you?’’

’’Quite sure,’’ Seven said. ’’That is, if the stone being brought is truly the earthstone.’’

Rodrigo’s eyes moved, darting across the table as his mind worked. ’’Do you think she would have hidden it somewhere it could easily be found?’’ He shook his head slightly, his jaw tight. ’’Something feels wrong.’’

’’Yes it does,’’ Seven agreed, turning it over. ’’But this is the first lead we’ve gotten on the stone in twenty years.’’

Rodrigo nodded, ’’So there’s only one way to find out.’’ he looked at Seven, ’’When is the next auction?’’

’’In six days.’’

’’Inform the army. Get a few trusted men ready.’’

Seven shook his head. ’’Alpha, I don’t think you should go as yourself.’’ 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

’’I know,’’ Rodrigo said. ’’They would stay hidden in case something happens. We will bid on the stone and we see if it really is it.’’

’’Okay,’’ Seven nodded.

A moment passed. Then Seven reached into his coat and set a small box on the table, pushing it forward with two fingers and saying nothing.

Rodrigo’s eyes went to it. His hand stayed flat on the table. A muscle moved in his jaw, his eyes not moving from the box,

’’Wasn’t sure if you would still be needing this tonight, brought it just in case,’’ Seven said quietly.

There was a moment of quiet, then Rodrigo glanced at him,

’’Check with the seers,’’ he said finally. ’’Let nothing go wrong.’’

’’Yes, Alpha.’’

He snatched the box and walked off, his strides long across the courtyard until the inner gates swallowed him.

Seven stayed where he was. He looked at the cup which he’d used, then at the far gate where the Luna had gone, then he picked up his own cup and drank slowly, a smile forming on his mouth.

...

Nina stood outside the Alpha’s quarters and knocked lightly as she waited.

There was no reply.

She frowned and pushed the door open. The room was empty, the curtains were drawn back, evening light coming in flat across the floor. She stood in the doorway for a moment, then pulled it shut and went back down the corridor.

She walked down the stairs and out of the building, turning to the guard standing by the doors.

’’Has the Alpha returned?’’ she asked;

’’Yes, Luna,’’ the guard said, bowing his head.

’’Do you know where he is?’’

’’He went toward the grand hall a little while ago.’’

Nina stood for a second, then she turned and walked toward the hall room.