Althea’s head lifted weakly, her vision hazy through blood and tears. Yet even in her half-dazed state, she recognized him. The tall, broad figure cloaked in black, eyes burning with a lethal glow.
The Alpha King. Gavriel.
His gaze swept across the hall, cold and sharp as a blade. The executioner froze mid-motion, the whip slipping from his hand as if the strength had been stolen from his body.
“What,” Gavriel’s voice thundered, deep and resonant, “is the meaning of this?”
The court hall fell into dead silence. Even the Queen Mother, who moments ago had commanded the punishment, lowered her eyes as his power pressed against everyone present.
He strode forward, every step echoing like a judgment. His eyes locked onto Althea, kneeling in her own blood, her back torn and raw. Something f
