"Your father and I only have you as our daughter. Does that mean no one will care for us in our old age?"

My daughter and her mate exchanged uneasy glances, mouths opening as if to speak, then falling silent.

My mate had heard enough. He delivered his final terms without hesitation.

"Lyra, Garrick—our pack has given you a den-house, provided transport, and shared our tribute stores. We have only one demand. The second pup must carry the Ashenvale clan-mark and inherit our territory and resource domains."

"The pup is still young. Change his registry at the Moon-Clinic immediately."

"Otherwise, your mother and I will never allocate another coin of tribute to your household!"

My daughter's face flushed with anger at our words.

She shot to her feet, grabbing Garrick and Bram by their arms, storming toward the door.

"If that's how you feel, then we'll leave! We won't come back!"

"But let me remind you both—I am the only pup of the Ashenvale line. When you grow old and weak, you'll have no one else to depend on but me!"

Watching my daughter and her mate disappear through the den entrance, my heart turned cold alongside my mate's.

For several days, Lyra did not return.

Not a single call. Yet she posted constantly on the pack's social channels.

I scrolled through images of the second pup—barely a moon old, impossibly adorable.

But every time I remembered his clan-mark read Hayes, a sharp ache pounded behind my eyes.

Fenris and I never favored male pups over female. If we had, we would never have been content with Lyra alone.

Over a decade ago, our ancestral grounds were claimed for territory expansion. Fenris used the compensation to build our resource domains from nothing.

Year after year, our holdings grew. One craft den became two, then three, then more.

We had hoped to match Lyra with a mate of equal standing. Instead, she chose Garrick—a rogue-born Beta from some distant out-territory clan with nothing to his name.

Even before their mating ceremony, he had pushed her to demand gifts from her birth pack.

Three years into their bond, Garrick had already used Ashenvale tribute to build his rural parents a proper den-house and purchase a luxury vehicle.

Fenris and I understood exactly what the Hayes family wanted.

That was precisely why we demanded a second pup—one who would carry the Ashenvale mark and inherit our territory.

Now everything had crumbled. Lyra was certain we had no other heirs, that we would have no choice but to hand over our domains to her, which would ultimately fall into Hayes hands.

I called my daughter, hoping to negotiate once more.

The call rang and rang. No answer.

With no other option, I sent her a message: "If you insist the second pup keeps the Hayes mark, then your father and I will sell every resource site we own and travel the world."

"We have worked our entire lives. We will never let our legacy fall into outsiders' hands!"

After sending the message, I began packing with Fenris for our journey.

A lifetime of labor, and we had never once lived for ourselves.

The moment Lyra learned I had booked passage, she rushed back to the central den in a panic.

"Mother, is this really necessary? Regardless of which clan-mark he carries, he's still my pup!"

I let out a cold laugh. "The Ashenvale domains will only pass to those who bear the Ashenvale name."

My daughter sighed in defeat. "Fine, Mother. Garrick and I went to the Moon-Clinic this morning and changed the pup's registry. Transferring the full clan documents takes time, but it's done."

Fenris's eyes lit up instantly. "What is his name now?"

"Rowan Ashenvale. He carries your clan-mark!"

Seeing our doubt, she pulled out the official registry documents. "Look for yourselves. The change was made this morning."

Fenris and I took the papers. Indeed, it was a formal name-change decree.

Rowan Ashenvale. Marked as Ashenvale.

My mate's face broke into a wide smile. The pack's legacy would continue.

Lyra placed the pup in my arms, her expression still sour with resentment. "There. I changed his mark. My in-laws are furious about it."

"Mother, Father—I have to say, this second pup is male. He carries your clan-mark now. Surely you owe my in-laws some form of compensation?"

"Not a copper less, not a copper more—one million in tribute!"

My mate and I nearly lost our footing. One million?

She truly had the nerve to demand such a sum.

"Lyra, do you have any idea what one million represents in pack resources?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's just one million. Our pack isn't lacking for stores."

Fenris's brow furrowed deeply, a low rumble building in his chest. "You think tribute flows that easily? Besides, we already agreed—the second pup would carry the Ashenvale clan-mark. Now you want us to pay for what was promised?"

The son-in-law who had been silent finally spoke, his scent carrying that calculating edge I'd learned to recognize. "Alpha Father, Alpha Mother, this one million is merely a small portion of your territory's wealth. But it would ease my parents' hearts greatly."

"Besides, Lyra and I have already decided—the second pup will be raised in your den. He'll bear the Ashenvale mark anyway!"

Garrick's tone carried a petulant challenge, as if daring us to refuse. My wolf stirred with anger, but Fenris caught my sleeve, giving a subtle shake of his head.

"One million then," he said, his voice carefully measured. "From this day forward, Rowan Ashenvale remains in our den. He is an Ashenvale pup, bound to our bloodline."

The moment the tribute transfer was confirmed, Garrick's expression transformed entirely—his scent smoothing into satisfaction.

Later, Fenris told me he understood. After all, the second pup was male, a potential heir. The Hayes clan not wanting to surrender the clan-mark was natural enough.

Consider the million a settlement payment, he said.

From the day little Rowan moved into our den, our home filled with warmth and laughter once more. His small presence brought life back to chambers that had felt too quiet for too long.

My daughter and her mate began visiting the Ashenvale estate more frequently as well.

During one evening meal, Lyra mentioned wanting a new transport—one of those sleek modern vehicles that ran on pack-approved routes.

I chuckled. "If you want to purchase one, go ahead. Since when do you need to report such things to us?"

She smiled, that familiar wheedling tone entering her voice. "I was hoping you and Father might contribute a bit toward it."

My head snapped up, eyes fixing on her. "Lyra, have you depleted your allowance already?"

She shook her head slowly. "It's all gone."

My fingers tightened around my eating utensils until my knuckles went white. The anger in my chest rose like steam from a boiling pot.

Last time, she'd claimed we needed to compensate her in-laws—demanded we transfer one million in tribute as settlement for the clan-mark change.

Then she said we still owed Garrick compensation. After all, he was the pup's sire, a male wolf. Having his offspring bear the Ashenvale mark instead of Hayes had wounded his pride.

So Fenris and I had transferred another five hundred thousand to Garrick directly.

Now, barely a week later, my daughter was asking for money to purchase a vehicle.

Every few days brought another excuse, another demand. At this rate, before little Rowan even grew into his first shift, our pack's stores would be completely drained.

"Lyra! You go too far!" I couldn't contain my fury any longer. "Your father and I don't run a tribute vault for your convenience!"

"Today it's one million, tomorrow five hundred thousand, the day after that it's vehicles and den-houses. We cannot sustain your demands!"

"The five hundred thousand we just gave Garrick a week ago—wasn't that enough to cover a new transport?"

My daughter's lips twisted into a pout. "Well, Garrick's younger brother is taking a mate soon. They need to build a den, purchase a vehicle, gather the bride-price offerings."

"The one million you gave the in-laws, and the five hundred thousand you gave Garrick—it all went toward Kellan's mating preparations."

Fenris and I exchanged glances. His eyes had gone hard as flint, his wolf barely contained beneath the surface.

"They used the tribute we provided... for their younger son's mating ceremony?" His voice trembled with barely suppressed rage.

Garrick stepped forward quickly, his posture shifting to something more submissive—though not nearly submissive enough. "Alpha Father, my brother's intended mate's family demanded a den and transport. You know my birth-pack's territory is poor, so..."

"I couldn't just watch him fail to secure a mate, could I? Besides, what pack doesn't spend resources on mating ceremonies?"

Lyra moved to stand beside him, adding her voice to his defense. "Exactly! We're all one pack now. Why must you always be so calculating about these things?"

I drew a long breath, forcing myself toward calm. "Garrick, so you understand that taking a mate requires resources?"

"Then tell me—what did you contribute when you bonded with my daughter Lyra?"

At my question, Garrick's expression crumbled entirely, his scent souring with shame and resentment.

Unable to bear seeing her mate challenged, Lyra positioned herself directly between us. "Mother, enough! You know perfectly well Garrick's birth-pack had nothing to offer!"

I slammed my utensils onto the table with a crack that echoed through the dining chamber. "When one's pack has nothing, one should recognize their place! One should keep their tail tucked and conduct themselves with humility!"

"Instead of repeatedly going to the Yue family's territory to demand tribute, even making the Yue family pay for his brother's marriage ceremony! Have they no shame?"

My words were harsh, and Garrick Hayes glared at me fiercely.

Layla also kept criticizing me for going too far.

"This is too harsh? I have even harsher things I haven't dared to say!"

Garrick stormed out of the council chamber, Layla following closely behind.

After a while, the two returned.

"Mom, we've thought it over, Erbao still wants to change back to Hayes's clan mark!"

"What!" My wife and I were instantly stunned.

"Garrick said it all stems from Erbao being branded with the Asheville family seal."

"So the Hayes family will never be able to hold their heads high in front of you!"

"It's just those tributes, isn't it? We'll sell our assets to return them to you!"

"But Erbao must have his Hayes family seal changed back!"

This time, it was my wife and I who felt the pain.

The elders in the tribe all knew that Erbao was registered in the Asheville family genealogy. If it were changed back now,

who knows how many other tribes would be eyeing our territory and resources!

"Mom and Dad, I know you look down on me and my family."

"So from today onwards, we will no longer demand any tributes from you."

"You can pass your territory to whomever you want; I just want my rightful dignity back!"

Garrick spoke with righteous indignation, as if he had truly suffered a great injustice.

What a clever tactic of feigning retreat to advance! He knew perfectly well that once my wife and I returned to the Moon Goddess, the family fortune would still fall into Lyra's hands.

With her indecisive Omega personality, wouldn't Garrick be able to manipulate her however he pleased?

My wife and I remained silent for a long time.

After a moment, my wife slowly spoke: "How much do you need?"

Lyra immediately smiled, looking triumphantly at Garrick: "Eight hundred thousand gold coins!"

"Alright, I'll give it to you!"

My wife's voice had become old and weak, and her eyes were no longer clear.

I knew he had finally given in.

After taking the money, Lyra and Garrick left the territory to travel.

They said Garrick had been wronged and they wanted to take him away to cheer him up.

My wife and I sometimes lamented that if we were younger, perhaps we could have another child.

But we're both in our fifties now; having children is probably impossible now.

My daughter and son-in-law had figured this out.

Late at night, I noticed something was wrong with Erbao.

He was having difficulty breathing and coughing, like a wolf cub whimpering.

I was terrified. The cub had an acute attack of laryngitis.

My husband and I rushed the child to the Moon Clinic.

On the way, I texted my daughter, asking where she kept the child's clan registration certificate.

Hearing that the child was sick, my daughter panicked too.

"Mom, don't take him to the clinic yet, wait until I get back."

I was furious: "What nonsense are you talking about? With the child in such an emergency, do you expect me to wait for you to come back from the Outer Realms?"

But she refused to tell me where the certificate was, so I simply hung up.

I remembered Erbao's bloodline registration number.

But right after I gave my number, the doctor at the registration desk checked my information and said, "Rowan Hayes, right? Registering for cub emergency."

My wife and I were stunned. Rowan Hayes?

"Doctor, are you sure you're not mistaken? My child's insignia has been changed; his name is Rowan Asheville!"

The doctor checked the number again: "No, it's correct, his name is Rowan Hayes!"

My heart sank to the bottom.

I remembered that my daughter and son-in-law always took our second child to get his vaccinations.

They never let my wife and me come, saying the clinic was full of sick people, and that we were old and had weak immune systems.

Combined with my daughter's stubborn refusal to hand over the pup's pack registry token tonight, everything suddenly became clear.

The pup had never been re-marked with our clan name at all.

My mate and I swallowed our rage and focused on getting the little one to the healer first.

Lyra kept sending me messages through the pack link, urging me not to go to the Moon-Clinic yet, to wait until she returned home so we could talk.

In that moment, my disappointment in my daughter reached its peak. She had been helping Garrick deceive us all along!

Just then, my mate showed me a message on his communication crystal.

It was from the fertility healer at the conception clinic: "Alpha Fenris, the vitality assessments for you and Matriarch Selene show that you both meet the requirements for clinic-assisted conception!"

Staring at the message glowing on my mate's device, I covered my mouth in shock.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Selene, let's have a pup of our own."