IAN
The air in the room is heavy enough to choke a man. Everything is a jagged, bloody mess. For two years, we watched Aleric claw his way out of the darkness. We watched him fight every day not to become the monster he was after Lily’s betrayal, and as his Gamma, I have never been more proud of the leader he became. But looking at him now drenched in blood, his eyes glowing with a primal, terrifying gold, I feel like I’m staring at a stranger.
During the rough years, he was at least still our Alpha. He let us in, even if it was just a sliver. Now? There is a wall between us and him that no rank can breach. He moves with a lethal, silent efficiency, and every time I try to step in to mitigate the damage, he barks a command to stand down.
"This is my hunt," his voice had rumbled, a so
