RAVEN POV
The pack’s council chamber smelled like pine and old coffee. I’d only been here once when I was twelve and Dad brought me to watch a meeting, telling me it was part of learning how to lead. And once when I was nineteen, standing in front of these same elders while I rejected my mate's bond.
Now I am back, seven years later, about to ask these same people to trust me with the future of our home.
Funny how life worked.
“Thank you all for coming on short notice." Skye said beside me. She’d insisted on standing with me, both support and backup. “I know the funeral was only two days ago, but this can’t wait.”
The council table was full. Eight elders, each representing different families. Old Thomas, who had led Dad’s funeral. Margaret Chen, Mara’s grandmother and the pack’s top healer. Robert Morrison from security. A few others whose names I couldn’t place.
And at the head of the table, sitting in the Alpha’s chair that used to belong to my father, was Colton.
He still hadn’t looked at me. He kept his eyes on the papers in front of him, jaw tight, shoulders tense. He’d changed out of his funeral clothes into jeans and a dark henley. It made him look less like an Alpha and more like the boy I used to climb trees with.
Except that boy would’ve smiled when I walked in.
This man didn’t even blink. 
“We all know Power East Energy is trying to take our land.” Skye said. “The lawsuits, the permits, the deadline. Six months until drilling starts if we don’t stop them.”
“We’ve tried every legal path.” Margaret said gently. She looked exhausted, like grief had added years to her face. “There’s nothing left.”
“Not quite." Skye said. “We haven’t tried going public.”
The room shifted. A few elders leaned in. Even Colton looked up for a heartbeat.
“What are you suggesting?” Thomas asked.
Skye turned to me. My cue.
I stood up, portfolio in hand, trying to ignore the way my legs felt shaky. Public speaking has never been my thing. I preferred letting my photos do the talking.
“I’m suggesting we show people what we’re fighting for." I said. “Three months of full documentation photos of our land, our wildlife, our way of life. Everything that proves this place matters.”
I opened my portfolio and handed out some of my published work, pieces from National Geographic, Wildlife Photography Magazine, The Atlantic.
“I have connections.” I said. “Editors who trust me. If I can show what Power East Energy wants to destroy, we can get the story out of big platforms, huge reach. Millions of people see it.”
“Public pressure." Robert said, nodding. “Make it too messy for the company to continue.”
“Exactly. No politician wants their name attached to destroying untouched wilderness for an oil company. Not when the whole country is watching.”
Margaret flipped through my work, her eyebrows lifting. “These are impressive, Raven. Really. But why do you think you can do something this big in just three months? Most of these pieces took years.”
“Most of those were in places where I didn’t know anyone." I said. “I had to earn trust, learn the land, and learn from the people. Here? I already know everything. I grew up on this territory. I know where the caribou travel, where the wolves stay, where the salmon return. I can move fast because this place is familiar to me.”
It was true. Even after seven years away, the land still felt like it lived under my skin.
“And you’d stay the whole three months?” Thomas asked, watching me like he expected me to bolt any second. “No leaving halfway through for another job?”
It hit like a slap. I understood the doubt, but it still hurt.
“I’ll stay as long as this takes." I said quietly. “This is my home too. Even if I haven't acted like it."
Soft whispers moved around the table—some doubtful, some hopeful.
I pulled up my email. “I already contacted my editor at Nat Geo. She’s interested. She told me if I can deliver the full story in three months, she’ll fast track it. She’s even willing to push for a cover feature.”
A few elders actually gasped. A National Geographic cover was basically the top of the mountain for someone like me.
“Reach alone would be huge." I said. “But it’s not just pretty pictures. I’ll cover the legal fight too. A small community standing up to a giant company? People pay attention to that. They share it. They fight for it. We make this personal, we make people care, and we have a real chance to stop the drilling.”
“It sounds solid." Robert said slowly. “But it all depends on you. Can you really do this? That fast?”
“Yes.” I didn’t even need to think. “This is my job. I’ve handled worse conditions on tighter deadlines. I can do it.”
“What would you need from us?” Margaret asked.
“Full access to the land,” I said. “No blocked areas. Transportation help. And cooperation from pack members for interviews and portraits.” I hesitated. “And I’ll need the Alpha’s approval.”
Every head turned toward Colton.
He hadn’t said a word the entire time. Just sat there, stiff and distant, hands tight on the table. He still hadn’t looked at me.
“Alpha Ironfang?” Thomas said. “Your thoughts?”
Colton stayed silent for a long beat. Then he stood, and the room felt colder.
“No.”
The word hit hard.
Skye’s shoulders tensed beside me. A few elders looked confused, even upset.
“No?” I said, my voice was rough. “That’s it? Just no?”
“That’s it.” He finally met my eyes, and his stare was freezing. “We don’t need her.”
“Colton—” Margaret tried.
“We’ve handled things without her for years." He said, his tone is sharp. “We’ll keep handling them. There are other photographers. Other choices.”
“Name one." I said, heat rising in my chest. “Name one person with my experience who can finish this in three months.”
“I’m sure we could find—”
“You can’t." I said. “And you know you can’t.”
I stepped a little closer to the table, closer to him. “This isn’t about qualifications. You’re just being stubborn.”
His jaw tightened. “Watch yourself, Raven.”
“Why? What are you going to do? Reject my proposal? Oh wait. You already did."
The room froze. I’d pushed too far. I knew it. But the anger had been building for days, his cold stare, his bold answers, the way he pretended I wasn’t even in the room. I was done pretending it didn’t bother me.
“That’s enough." Thomas said sharply. “Both of you. This isn’t about old wounds.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Colton asked, turning to the elders. “She left. For seven years she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with us. And now we’re supposed to rely on her? Trust her with something this important?”
“We’re desperate." Margaret said softly. “You know we are. The lawyers have nothing left to try. Our budget is nearly gone. This might be our only real chance.”
“Then we’ll find another way." Colton insisted. “We always have.”
“There is no other way.” Robert said. “I’ve been talking to environmental groups for months. They can’t help anymore. We need something big enough to catch national attention. Raven can do that.”
“She can also run the second things that get hard." Colton snapped. “It’s what she’s always done.”
The words landed hard. He meant them to.
“I said I’ll stay." I said quietly. “I gave my word.”
“Your word.” He laughed once short and bitter. “Sure. That means a lot.”
“That’s not fair—”
“Fair?” He moved toward me, and I had to force myself not to step back. “Is it fair that I’ve been fighting this battle on my own for years? That I’ve watched our money drain away while lawyers shrug and say there’s nothing left to try? Is it fair that I had to be the one to tell families they might lose their homes?”
He was close now, close enough that I finally saw the truth behind the anger. Exhaustion. Stress. Fear. All of it packed into his tired eyes.
“Where were you while all of this was happening, Raven?” He asked, his voice rough. “Oh right. Off photographing glaciers in Patagonia. Convenient.”
“I didn’t know—”
“You didn’t want to know." He said. “That’s the difference.”
He faced the council again. “My vote is no. We’ll find something else.”
“This is something else.” Skye said, sounding worn out. “Colton, I know this is messy. I know it’s complicated. But we’re out of options. You have to see that.”
“What I see." He said coldly.“Is a pack being asked to trust someone who’s shown she can’t be trusted.”
His words sat heavy in the room.
Margaret stood. “Alpha Ironfang, we hear your concerns. But we’re putting it to a vote.” She raised her hand. “All in favor?”
Hands lifted around the table Margaret, Robert, Thomas, and four more.
“Opposed?”
Colton raised his hand. Alone.
“The motion passes." Margaret said gently. “Raven, you have three months. Colton, as Alpha, you’ll need to work with her on access and permissions for the territory.”
The look he gave me then wasn’t anger. It wasn’t cold.
It was something worse.
It was a resignation.
Like he already knew this was going to end badly and that he’d have to watch it happen.
“No.” Colton’s voice was cold. “If the council wants this, fine. But I’m not the one handling it. Give the job to someone else.”
“You’re the Alpha.” Thomas reminded him. “She needs your approval. Your permission to move around the territory. You know that.”
Colton’s hands curled into fists. “Then she gets limited access. Only what’s absolutely required. Nothing extra.”
“Colton—” I tried, but he cut me off.
“This meeting is over.” He grabbed his jacket from the chair. “Skye, send me a full proposal by tomorrow. I’ll review it and send back a list of restricted areas. Raven, you’ll submit all location requests in writing, forty eight hours ahead. No exceptions.”
“That’s going to slow the whole project down—”
“Then work faster. Or quit. Your choice.”
He walked toward the door, then stopped. He didn’t turn around. “And Raven? Stay out of my way. I have a pack to run, and I don’t have time for your redemption arc.”
He slammed the door behind him so hard the walls shook.
The room went completely still.
“Well." Robert said after a beat. “That went better than expected.”
“How is that better?” I asked, still staring at the door.
“He didn’t shut it down completely,” Margaret said gently. “He’s angry, but he’ll come around. Colton’s a good Alpha. He knows what’s at stake. He just needs a little time.”
Time. Right. Time had never fixed anything for us before.
Skye touched my arm. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I wasn’t fine at all. My chest felt tight, and my eyes were burning. “I should go. I have a lot to plan. Locations, equipment… everything.”
“Raven—”
“I’m fine." I repeated. I gathered my portfolio, trying not to let my hands shake. “Thank you for believing in me. I won’t let you down.”
I walked out before anyone could see how close I was to crying.