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The car turned onto a narrow road barely visible through the trees. They passed the first boundary marker, a carved stone that warned off trespassers, and Jenny felt the familiar tingle of pack magic wash over her skin. They were on Williams territory now, protected by wards and watched by sentries hidden in the shadows.

Pack members appeared along the road as they drove deeper into the territory. Wolves in human form, standing at attention, their eyes tracking the car with sharp focus. They recognized the vehicle, recognized Marcus behind the wheel, but they were on high alert. Whatever crisis had prompted her father's summons, it had the entire pack on edge.

Jenny's unease grew with every mile. Her father was a powerful Alpha, a leader who commanded respect through both strength and intelligence. He did not call her home lightly, and he did not deploy his Beta like a messenger unless the situation was dire.

The main lodge came into view, a sprawling structure built from timber and stone that managed to look both rustic and imposing. Lights blazed in every window, and Jenny could see figures moving inside. A gathering, then. Not just a private conversation with her father.

Marcus pulled the car to a stop at the front entrance. He opened Jenny's door, offering his hand to help her out. She ignored it and stepped out on her own, straightening her shoulders and preparing herself for whatever waited inside.

"He is in his study," Marcus said. "Go straight there. He is expecting you."

Jenny nodded and walked toward the lodge, her heart pounding with each step. She could feel eyes on her, pack members watching from windows and doorways, their curiosity and concern thick in the air.

She pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside. The lodge was warm, filled with the scent of wood smoke and pack, that unique combination of individuals that somehow blended into a single, unified presence. Home, her wolf whispered. This was home, no matter how far she had run.

Jenny made her way down the familiar hallway toward her father's study, her footsteps silent on the hardwood floor. Wolves nodded as she passed, offering respectful greetings that she returned automatically. The elite warriors stood guard at strategic points, their silver wrist bands gleaming in the lamplight.

She stopped outside the study door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"Come in."

She opened the door and stepped into the Alpha's domain. The room was dominated by a massive desk carved from a single piece of oak, its surface covered with maps, reports, and a laptop that seemed out of place among the rustic surroundings. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with everything from ancient pack histories to modern military strategy texts.

And behind the desk sat Alpha Michael Williams, her father, watching her with eyes that held the weight of authority and the coldness of necessity.

Michael did not stand when Jenny entered. He simply gestured to the leather chair across from his desk, a silent command that she obeyed without protest. She sat, keeping her spine straight and her expression neutral, falling back into the patterns of behavior she had learned as a child. In this room, she was not a doctor or an individual. She was the Alpha's daughter, and that meant submission to his authority.

Her father studied her for a long moment, his gaze sharp and assessing. He was in his late fifties but looked a decade younger, the benefit of werewolf genetics. Broad-shouldered and powerful, with silver threading through his dark hair and lines of command etched around his eyes. He wore his authority like other men wore suits, a second skin that fit perfectly.

"You look tired," he said finally.

"I worked a double shift before Marcus came to get me."

"Still playing human doctor." It was not quite a question, not quite an accusation, but somewhere in between.

"Saving lives is not playing," Jenny said, keeping her voice even. "It is my calling."

"Your calling is here," Michael said, his tone hardening. "As heir to this pack. As future Alpha. That has always been your destiny, Jennifer, whether you choose to accept it or not."

Jenny bit back the argument that rose to her lips. They had fought this battle countless times over the years, and it always ended the same way.