I watched the pack warriors, their bodies moving in sync as they drilled. My face was a mask of calm, but inside, I was a whirlwind of thoughts.
These warriors weren’t the country bumpkins they were often mistaken for. They were trained, and trained well.
Dalton, the alpha’s son, knew how to push his men to sharpen their skills. Some of them could even give the Royal Guard a run for their money.
This morning, I’d felt a bit more at ease watching some of the warriors interact with the girl I’d met. The other members seemed to respect Artemis and even helped her with certain tasks.
The girl had earned their respect. It was clear how much effort she put into making breakfast for everyone, without a hint of resentment or complaint.
Artemis moved with a natural grace in the kitchen. She instinctively cared for the other pack members in ways I wasn’t sure she even realized.
She’d made it even more obvious when she made my tea. Without me saying a word, she’d prepared it exactly how I liked it, even using the same spoon to scoop the honey and stir the tea.
That was a luna’s instinct. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, so I quickly took a sip of the tea.
Dalton’s arrival had interrupted my observations of the girl. As soon as he saw me, he’d come over, as if to shield Artemis from me. That told me more about her situation.
This wasn’t a runt who was mistreated or abused. This was a luna in all but name. Her pack respected and protected her, and she in turn, looked after them.
When a pack doesn’t have an official luna, it’s common for another pack member to fill the role until a proper luna can be found. So, why were the alpha and his son trying to hide her from me?
Later that morning, I was in the records office with Dalton and a warrior named Teddy, going over various records and account books. Their books were clean. Spotless. Every detail had been meticulously accounted for.
“Everything in order, my lord?” Dalton was eager for me to finish. He clearly thought this was a waste of time and didn’t understand what I could uncover by looking at old account books.
Some packs that seemed strong on the surface were actually in crisis when you examined their finances. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here.
The pack was thriving. They had more than enough to meet their needs. Their funds were managed expertly and had grown significantly over the years. How had they managed this?
“Everything seems to be accounted for,” I said, “except I was wondering if you could explain this figure here.” I handed the book to Dalton, who looked at the page I was pointing to.
It was the yearly tax invoice detailing the deductions and dues to the Crown. It was a bit complex.
Royal taxes are a tricky thing and can easily be miscalculated if not done properly. After all the itemized calculations and deductions, a final sum had been written and circled at the bottom.
Dalton looked at the page, furrowing his brow in concentration. It was clear he didn’t know what I was talking about. After a moment, he looked back up at me, still puzzled.
“I’m just curious how you arrived at the figure written below,” I replied. It was a complex calculation. Whoever had done it was obviously well educated. I was curious to know who among their members had such skill.
Dalton looked back at the page as if the answer would suddenly appear.
“Why don’t you just get Artie to look at it?” Teddy suggested.
“Teddy!” Dalton snapped.
“What? She’s the one who—”
“Teddy, shut up!” Dalton used his dominance to silence his pack mate, but the words were already out. Dalton looked at me in shock, probably realizing how strange his outburst was.
“No problem,” I replied, not wanting to give anything away. “I think I can figure it out.”
Without another word, I held out my hand, and Dalton cautiously handed me the book. I looked back at the page in question, but really, I was watching the pair out of the corner of my eye.
Dalton was glaring at Teddy, who had his head bowed in submission. They were obviously having a conversation through their pack mind-link.
While they were distracted, I decided to investigate Teddy’s words. I pulled out the note I’d been given with the socks from my pocket and placed it on the page of the book to compare the handwriting.
They were a match. So, it was Artemis who kept the records and accounts. She was quickly becoming a person of interest.
