Chapter 587: A Moment Before the Storm

The snow fell in a steady hush, blanketing the compound in a quiet that felt almost deceptive.

Orion and Ronan walked side by side, their boots pressing into the fresh layer beneath them, the faint crunch of each step the only sound between them for a while.

It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence.

Just one filled with too many thoughts.

Too many threads.

Too many things waiting to unravel.

Ronan was the one who eventually broke it.

"That boy," he said, glancing slightly at Orion. "Tarin."

Orion tilted his head faintly. "What about him?"

Ronan huffed lightly, though there was no irritation in it.

"He asked about Sophia," he said. "He wanted to know if he could see her."

Orion’s expression softened almost immediately.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"I’ll tell her," he said. "She’d like that."

Ronan nodded.

"I figured as much."

They walked a few more steps before Orion spoke again.

"There’s something else," he said.

Ronan glanced at him. "There’s always something else."

Orion huffed a quiet breath that might have been a laugh.

"...We might need another meeting," he said.

That made Ronan’s brows draw together slightly.

"Another one?" he asked. "Already?"

Orion nodded faintly.

"It’s not about the tonic this time," he said. "At least... not directly."

Ronan’s gaze sharpened.

"Then what is it about?"

Orion was quiet for a moment.

Then he said, "The drawing."

Ronan frowned. "Oculum’s?"

"Yes."

Ronan’s steps slowed just slightly.

"...What about it?"

Orion exhaled.

"The woman in the drawing," he said. "The one standing behind Sophia while she... was identified by your father and Caspian."

Ronan stopped walking entirely.

Orion took one more step before halting as well.

"Who is she?" Ronan asked him.

Orion held his gaze.

"...Victoria."

The name settled between them.

Ronan didn’t speak. For a moment, he didn’t even move.

Orion watched him.

"I reacted the same way," he said quietly. "When I heard it."

Ronan exhaled slowly, running a hand down his face.

"Fucking goddess tits!" he muttered.

Orion’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"Her name keeps coming up," he said. "Again and again. It’s like we’ve been circling around her throughout today."

Ronan nodded. "I hate it too. The woman just irritates me. Isn’t it enough that she’s the fake Luna? Why is her name coming up in almost everything?"

"I’d really like to know the answer to that too," Orion muttered.

They resumed walking.

The shrine came into view ahead of them, its structure standing tall and still beneath the snowfall, as though untouched by everything stirring within the pack.

Orion’s steps slowed slightly as they approached.

Then he stopped.

Ronan looked at him.

"What?"

Orion’s gaze flicked toward the entrance.

"...She’s not in there," he said.

Ronan blinked. "My sister-in-law?"

Orion gave him a look. "Who else?"

Ronan rolled his eyes but didn’t answer.

They turned, moving away from the shrine and toward the heart of the compound.

The noise reached them before they got to the square—voices layered over each other, the occasional thud of something being moved or set down, laughter cutting through the cold. The square had been transforming since the morning, pack members arriving in ones and twos to help with the setup, dragging things from storage, stringing things up, arranging what needed arranging.

The announcement of the results would be made at the training grounds. It always was.

The celebration, however—that was always here.

Orion and Ronan slowed as the square came into full view.

Ronan looked around at the activity, the half-assembled arrangements, the members moving around.

"It didn’t take time for the news to spread," Ronan said with a laugh.

Orion laughed too. "You know your people, Ronan. Was it any surprise?"

Ronan laughed.

Orion’s gaze had already moved through the square, searching.

He found her near the far side, standing with Joren’s mother and Joren himself. She was laughing at something—her head tilted back slightly, one hand coming up to brush a stray hair from her face.

There were others around too, and one of them, Cain, was picking up a box. Then Sophia approached to help, choosing to assist him in carrying it.

Or rather, Cain was carrying the box. Sophia had her hands on one end of it, her contribution entirely symbolic given the size difference between them. The man was doing the actual work. He didn’t seem to mind, though. He was smiling.

Ronan watched for a moment.

"My sister-in-law," he said quietly, "really knows how to steal hearts."

Orion chuckled under his breath.

"She does."

Ronan let out a quiet snort at seeing Sophia concentrate on helping lift the box.

"She’s not even lifting anything," he said.

Orion gave him a look. "After everything, you want her to overwork herself?"

"Calm down, brother," Ronan said, laughing.

Sophia helped Cain place the box on a stand. Then, as if sensing something, she turned and locked eyes with Orion.

A smile took over her face, and she waved at them.

Before Orion could wave back, Ronan waved.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Orion said, lowering his hand.

"Waving at my sister-in-law," Ronan told him.

"She was waving at—"

"—the both of us. Don’t lie to yourself."

Orion turned back to Sophia and waved. She chuckled before helping another pack member with their work.

"At least next time, let me wave to her first," Orion muttered.

Ronan chuckled again.

Then suddenly, they heard someone shout.

"Alpha Orion!"

Orion locked gazes with Joren, who was waving eagerly, a bright smile on his face.

He waved from where he was standing—enthusiastically, with his whole arm, nearly losing his footing in the process and having to grab the nearest surface to steady himself.

Ronan made a sound beside Orion.

"You have a fan," he said, barely holding the laugh in.

"You have no idea," Orion said.

He raised his hand toward Joren, a single easy wave.

Joren’s smile widened until his teeth were fully on display. He straightened and then turned to his mother with the same smile plastered on his face.

Orion shook his head. Joren was still as eager as the first day Orion started training them.

And it seemed Sophia was okay now... at least, he hoped so.