The glass tower of the City Business Council hummed with hushed panic as board members rushed into the main conference room.
At the head of the dark mahogany table sat Lord Richard, Kane's father and the chief executive of Vance Holdings.
Richard: What is the meaning of this emergency summons? I was supposed to be at my son's wedding rehearsal!
Council Member 1: Richard, sit down and look at the screen right now.
The large monitor on the wall clicked on, showing security footage from the bridal boutique downtown.
Richard watched in disbelief as his niece Chloe struck the red-haired girl, followed by the blinding eruption of the blue wolf mark.
Richard: Is that... the Royal Mark of the Northern Territory?
Council Member 2: It's authentic, Richard. The regional registry confirmed the energy signature ten minutes ago.
Richard slumped back into his leather chair, the color draining entirely from his weathered face.
Richard: My son was marrying the High Alpha's true heir?
Council Member 1: He was. Until your niece assaulted her in front of twenty witnesses.
Richard: Where is Kane?! Why didn't he stop this?!
The heavy double doors of the conference room swung open, and Kane stumbled into the room, looking pale and disheveled.
Kane: Father... we have a massive problem.
Richard: You fool! You absolute idiot! Do you have any idea what you've done to our business empire?!
Kane: I didn't know, Father! She never told me about her lineage! She lived in a small apartment downtown!
Richard: She was testing you! The Northern Line always tests their suitors before transferring their corporate holdings!
Kane: We can fix this! I'll apologize! I'll force Chloe to make a public apology on the news!
Council Member 2: It's too late for apologies, Kane. Look outside.
Kane rushed to the floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the city square below.
Three black armored SUVs pulled up to the entrance of the building, surrounded by dozens of armed security personnel wearing the silver crest of the Northern Council.
From the middle vehicle stepped Freya, now wearing a tailored dark blue suit, holding a leather legal briefcase.
Kane: She's coming up here right now...
Richard: Pull up our financial records! Check our credit lines! If she revokes the royal backing, our bank stock drops to zero by noon!
Kane: Father, please... tell me we have a prenup draft that protects our assets!
Richard: A prenup?! You stupid boy, she owns sixty percent of the bank that holds our corporate loans!
The electronic lock on the boardroom door beeped, and the heavy doors slid open with a smooth mechanical hum.
Freya walked into the room, flanked by two senior corporate attorneys and the city's chief financial auditor.
Freya: Good morning, gentlemen. I believe we have some contracts to discuss.
Richard immediately stood up, bowing his head in deep respect as his hands trembled against the polished table.
Richard: Your Grace... please accept my most sincere apologies for the disgraceful behavior of my family today.
Freya: Save your speeches, Lord Richard. We are here strictly for business.
She pulled a stack of legal documents from her briefcase and dropped them squarely onto the center of the table.
Freya: As of nine o'clock this morning, the Northern Trust is calling in all outstanding loans issued to Vance Holdings.
Kane took a step forward, his voice cracking with desperation.
Kane: Freya, please... don't do this to my family! We can start over!
Freya turned her cool, steady gaze toward him, her blue eyes shining with absolute authority.
Freya: You had your chance, Kane. Now you get to see what happens when you mistake kindness for weakness.