When Sinclair and Hugo finally left for pack headquarters, Henry and I moved into our favorite sitting room, returning to the puzzle we'd begun earlier that week. Seated across from the older wolf, I pretended to scan the scattered pieces, while secretly glancing up at him. "So, what do you make of all this?" I asked curiously. "Lydia and the Prince?"

Henry grimaced. "I never liked that woman. But trying to argue with headstrong young Alphas convinced they've found their mates is like banging your head against a wall." He offered a tender smile. "You'll see soon enough. You can do everything in your power to teach your pups important lessons and prepare them for the real world—but ultimately, you have to let them make their own mistakes; it's the only way they learn."

"Does it ever hurt less? Or get easier to watch them go down the wrong path?" I inquired softly.

"Not a damn bit," Henry said grimly. Despite his grim look, his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. "Luckily, that doesn't seem to be a problem for me anymore. Lydia is out of the picture, my boys are friends again for the first time since losing their mother, and Dominic is on his way to being King."

"Dominic just told me how his mother died this morning," I confessed, reaching for the old wolf's gnarled hand. "I'm so sorry you went through that. It must have been terrible to be left alone with a pack to rule and two young boys to raise, in the midst of your grief."

He nodded. "Looking back, I don't have the slightest idea how I survived it. The grief almost destroyed meand I'm ashamed to say I let it destroy Dominic and Roger's relationship." Henry sighed. "I haven't always been the best father, but I can tell you right now that it was a hell of a lot easier when I had my mate."

I understood. When I thought I was going to raise this baby alone, I'd been terrified. Very few people plan for children and then end up with sole responsibility; and though I'd been one of the rare few, it certainly hadn't been by choice. I was thrilled to finally succeed, but the stakes felt a thousand times higher without a partner. I'm still afraid, of course, but it feels so much better to be part of a team. I know that as long as Sinclair is alive, I'll always have someone to lean on, and my pup will have two loving parents.

"I never would have believed I could do it without her, and I'm proud that I managed…" Henry continued, his mouth trembling. "But I will never stop being haunted by the knowledge that the wrong parent died… they would have been so much better off if Juliet had been here instead of me."

"Please don't say that," I begged, feeling tears well up.

"Why not? It's true," Henry shrugged, his dark eyes shining. "There's no use denying it or letting ego get in the way. You'll see that too—nothing humbles you like being a parent."

My mind searched for an argument, not to invalidate his feelings, but because I knew losing any parent is never the answer. "Has Dominic ever told you about his last conversation with Juliet?" I finally asked, "before the fire started, before everything went wrong?"

Henry thought for a moment. "No, not that I can recall."

Slowly, carefully, I repeated the story Sinclair had shared with me that morning. "Dominic's mother gave him permission to ignore societal dictates," I summarized. "But he already had your example to guide him. He was only six, and he might always have remembered those words because they were her last, but he lived them because of you. He is the Alpha he is today because of you. Because you showed him every day how to walk the walk."

"You know that all happened right here?" Henry asked thoughtfully, his gaze distant as he looked around the room. "I moved the boys to a new home after the fire. But when Dominic grew up and made his fortune, he rebuilt the original manor in her honor."

"I didn't know," I admitted, looking around the huge mansion. "Was it always this grand?"

Henry chuckled. "It was even grander in my day—Dominic isn't the only one who did well for himself, you know."

"I know," I laughed, picking up a puzzle piece. "But I think we got distracted. I was asking you about Lydia."

"Darling, when you have all day, diversions are a blessing, not a curse," Henry advised warmly, patting his wheelchair arms. "The first year I was in this chair, I would have begged for a lovely young she-wolf to distract me from the monotony."

"And now I feel like you might be distracting me intentionally," I remarked slyly. Henry chuckled again, a defeated laugh. "Oh, Ella, you are too clever for your own good, you know that?"

"Just tell me, Henry," I requested gently. "Whatever is worrying you can't be as painful as reliving your mate's death."

His brows arched, and he flashed his fangs in agreement. "It's just that I've seen this film before," he finally admitted. "I've seen what happens when there's this kind of competition for the throne, and it never ends well for anyone."

"Isn't it always like this?" I inquired, not minding showing my ignorance of shifter politics.

"No, it isn't," Henry explained. "Normally, the Alphas of each pack in the union are pretty evenly matched. They battle it out, the people vote, and the Alphas who don't get enough points return to their council duties. The problem is when you have a few extremely strong Alphas competing, forcing all the pack Alphas to choose sides and form alliances rather than competing themselves. It focuses all the pressure and danger on the one or two men who stand to win."

"So, when there are many wolves running, they're too busy keeping an eye on their opponents to focus on anyone in particular. But when there are only a few, it results in everything we've been facing?" I questioned, seeking clarity. "The assassination attempts and death threats?"

"Yes," Henry confirmed. "And the divisions are worse because Dominic and the Prince are very different. The Prince has the advantage as the King's heir. He has wealth and a willingness to sacrifice ordinary wolves to benefit his friends. He's famously corrupt, and everyone knows he can be bought. For some, that's a tempting king."

"But Dominic is the exact opposite," I realized. "So those who would benefit if the Prince wins stand to lose if an honest wolf takes control."

Henry nodded. "You're starting to see. Dominic views this as good versus evil, and in some ways, he's right."

"But in others?" I pressed, my heart beating faster.

"The world isn't split into angels and devils, Ella," Henry sighed. "It's full of complicated, flawed individuals with a thousand different motives."

"I thought the united packs and the Alpha council wanted stability above all else," I objected, rubbing my aching neck.

"Yes, but what is stability?" Henry challenged. "Dominic believes it's peace, but many see it as preserving the status quo; ensuring those in power remain in power."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked, my mouth dry.

"Because I know my son, I know the way he thinks," Henry answered seriously. "Dominic grew up in this world and understands its harsh realities, even if he doesn't make it explicit. But you're not from this world, and I want you to know what you're up against."

"You're saying I shouldn't assume we'll win," I assessed shakily. "I need to be realistic about the possibility of losing."

"Yes, Ella," Henry confirmed sorrowfully. "I hate to say it, but the more we learn about your past, Lydia's schemes, and the chaosthis feels less like a journey to the top and more like a bomb waiting to explode."

My hand went protectively to my belly.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

Henry reached for me, worried. "I'm sorry, dear one. Should I have kept my mouth shut?"

"No," I breathed, trying to calm my gag reflex. "I needed to know. And now that I do, I can start to prepare."