Silence reigned in the Grand Council chamber, broken only by the ragged, terrified breathing of the Alphas forced to the floor.

Elara stood in the center of the wreckage, a terrifying vision of sovereign authority. She looked down at Julian, whose eyes were fixed on the heavy silver ring on her fi

Julian lay in the ruins of the mahogany table, wheezing and clutching his shattered ribs. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the pristine stone floor, his eyes darting frantically between the terrifying Alpha standing over him and the impassive Sovereign watching from behind.

"You can't do this," Ju

"Yes," Elara breathed, the word slipping out before she could even think to guard it. "It’s real, Kaelen. It has been real since the moment our hands brushed in that VIP lounge."

Kaelen let out a harsh, shuddering breath, the tension bleeding out of his massive frame. He rested his forehead against