In Celestina’s private study, Hunt joins Isaiah, Naomi, and Baxian as Celestina anxiously waits for Ephraim’s arrival. Hunt notices Pollux and Lidia’s immediate, predatory interest in each other and feels the room’s hostility at having Sandriel’s old triarii gathered together again. To steady Celestina before the meeting, Hunt jokes with her, promises to help her escape if she needs an excuse, and realizes he partly wants her goodwill in case suspicion later falls on him and Bryce.

Ephraim’s entrance confirms Hunt’s fears that the arranged match is uncomfortable from the start. Celestina greets Ephraim warmly as a friend, but Ephraim calls her his mate and an attempted cheek kiss turns awkward in front of everyone. Hunt and Isaiah step in to smooth over the moment, and Celestina redirects the gathering toward refreshments, but Hunt sees her unease and wonders whether the Asteri cared at all about her wishes before forcing this union.

Elsewhere, Bryce tells Ruhn, Ithan, and Tharion what she and Hunt learned in the Bone Quarter: the dead may be fed into the Dead Gate as power. The revelation hits Ithan hardest because Connor might suffer that fate, and Bryce promises they will try to learn more and somehow help. Ruhn warns that the Prince of the Pit may have manipulated Bryce and Hunt into going there and that exposing the truth or harboring Emile and Sofie could provoke dangerous retaliation from the Asteri.

That conversation is interrupted when Sabine arrives, seizes Bryce by the throat, and throws her across the room. Sabine accuses Bryce of meddling in wolf affairs by sheltering the exiled Ithan and suggests Bryce is trying to steal wolf authority. Bryce stays cold and controlled, Ithan insists Bryce is not responsible, and Sabine viciously attacks Ithan’s character and invokes Connor to shame him. Tharion offers to witness any formal confrontation, while Ruhn realizes Ithan would likely lose badly if Sabine pushed things further.

Back at Celestina’s gathering, Hunt, Isaiah, and Naomi quietly judge the disastrous evening while Celestina and Ephraim strain through small talk. Hunt receives a text from Bryce warning that Sabine is at the apartment, and his mood instantly shifts from irritation to alarm. Isaiah covers for him by distracting Baxian, and Hunt slips away into the night to go to Bryce. As Hunt leaves, Celestina sees him go and reacts with visible disappointment and displeasure.