Sebastian didn’t so much as glance at the hand full of gold rings offered to him, keeping his own hands tucked deep in his pockets as he studied Price.

“The audacity of you, Price. You didn’t just walk into my pack, you’re laying hands on my people.” Came Sebastian’s brisk reply, meeting the man’s dark eyes, eyes that glittered with amusement as he glanced back toward the kneeling pack members.

“Oh, you mean those lunatics on their knees? They’re being stubborn, acting like we Darkbur are somehow beneath them. I’m just teaching them a little lesson, nothing serious. Oh, come now, don’t tell me you’re offended?” Price said, resting a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, only for the look the Silver Alpha gave him to make him snatch it right back, hands raised in mock surrender.

“Okay, grumpy, no touching. I refused to revoke the contract when your elders came calling, I sent them back saying I’d think it over, and I did think it over, and I decided Silver is exactly where I want to be now. What better way to eventually own the whole thing than starting with a quarter of it first? My father always taught me to dream big.” He said, taking a long drag from his thick cigar, blowing the smoke straight into Sebastian’s face, perfectly confident the binding contract meant Sebastian couldn’t retaliate.

“That’ll happen over my dead body, Price. I’ll give you and your barbarians a chance to walk yourselves out of my pack, or—” Sebastian was saying, but Price threw his head back and laughed, snow falling across his face, which he wiped away carelessly.

“I’d gladly kill you for it, you know, but let me share a little secret with you, Alpha Sebastian. Before I even came here, I sent a copy of that contract to every pack in our world to stand witness, and you know exactly what happens to Alphas who don’t honor what they’ve signed, don’t you?” Price asked, stepping right into Sebastian’s space, his hot breath, which smelled like rotten milk, fanning across his face.

Of course Sebastian knew exactly what happened to Alphas who signed contracts and then tried to walk them back, the other packs united to tear them down, or forced them to make good on their word regardless.

Sebastian’s lips curled faintly at the corner. “I see you’ve got this all figured out, Price. You came prepared to take a quarter of Silver.”

Price nodded, clearly pleased with himself for having cornered the mighty Sebastian Kade so completely, with nothing left for him to do now but concede the territory to Darkbur, or face the combined wrath of every other pack out there.

Smiling, Price said, “Now, tell your people to clear out of my part of the building, before I set the whole thing on fire to drive them out like ants.” He looked at Sebastian with open challenge, since if this went the way he wanted, he’d be the first to ever bring down Sebastian Kade, and every other pack would learn to fear him for it.

Sebastian’s eyes moved over his people kneeling in the street, the smoke still rising from the burning building, his fingers curling into fists inside his pockets, his men standing ready at the sides, waiting only for his word.

One word from him and he could ignite full war between Darkbur and Silver, but rather than let his people suffer under Price’s occupation any longer, Sebastian could see only one real path forward, a formal challenge to reclaim the contract. He was already turning to issue it when—

“I think Alpha Price is forgetting that we’re the biggest pack in the world, and he still dares to challenge the Supreme Alpha,” Came Viola’s voice, as she pushed her way through the gathered crowd to stand beside her husband, and Sebastian’s displeased eyes landed on her instantly, hardening into stone at the sight of her out here at all.

But Viola ignored both him and his displeasure, knowing full well they’d talk about it later. For now, this man needed to be dealt with and sent out of their pack for good. No doubt Sebastian would be furious with her, but she couldn’t bring herself to hide away like a coward while he faced this man alone, not when, as Luna, she belonged right beside him.

Hiding would do nothing for her reputation within the pack, and everyone would talk about it once it was over anyway. Viola didn’t want to have to walk on eggshells around her pack members anymore.

Alpha Price’s eyes landed on the small woman bundled up in a coat, looking up at him as she addressed him directly, and he let out a laugh.

“You must be the little Luna I’ve heard about. Aww, how adorable. How old are you again? Sebastian, you never mentioned your Luna looked practically underage. With those round, adorable cheeks and eyes, I never knew you were into small women.”

He deliberately bent down and held out a hand for a handshake, the way one might greet a small girl. Viola wasn’t nearly as short as he was making her seem, but Price was simply so big and tall that standing beside him made her look much smaller.

His words drew laughter from the men gathered behind him. They began pointing at her and whispering among themselves, clearly entertained by his mockery.

Viola glared at his filthy, outstretched hand, visibly covered in dirt, then looked back at him, refusing to take it. Price turned back to Sebastian.

“You’ve trained your little wife to be just as mean as you are.” He clicked his tongue. “But no worries. Now that we’re going to be partners, she’ll have to be nice to me.”

“Watch how you speak to her, or I’ll have you kissing the pavement.” Came Sebastian’s warning, and Price only smirked wider at it.

“You’re not the only one with a wife, you know. I brought mine too, just as pregnant as your little one. Elizabeth!” He called out toward the building, where women were still being forced out, and soon a tall, powerfully built woman emerged, shoving a she-wolf out onto the street ahead of her.

“Yes, my Price Charming!” Elizabeth answered, and Viola turned to study her, a she-wolf who, just like her husband, wore far too little clothing for the cold. Trousers and a cropped top revealing a heavily pregnant belly, a giant of a woman with a weathered tan and tattoos covering nearly every visible inch of skin.

Elizabeth crossed to her husband after shoving the other she-wolf out of her way, standing nearly as tall as him.

“What’d you call me for, honeycomb? I was enjoying myself, putting these spoiled wolves in their place, dealing with the stubborn ones.” Elizabeth said, kissing her husband before turning to face Viola.

“The Alpha of Silver seems to think he’s the only one with a pregnant wife, so I wanted you two to meet. And I believe you’ve always wanted to meet the Supreme Luna, well, here she is.” He said, gesturing toward Viola, and his wife looked her over before the two of them burst into laughter together, as though sharing some private joke, their pack members behind them joining in.

“Why’s she so small? Or should I say, short?” Elizabeth remarked, unable to stop laughing. Where they came from, short women were practically unheard of, and being tall and well-built was considered the ideal that men admired.

Viola felt her blood begin to boil at being mocked for her height.

“Rather than mocking someone’s height, if I were you,” Viola said calmly, “I’d focus a little more on personal hygiene, Elizabeth, because you reek so badly I can barely breathe standing here.” Viola said, unable to stand being mocked by two people who had plenty to be insulted over themselves, and just as she expected, her words wiped the smiles clean off their faces instantly.