Darius POV
The moment I stepped into the main hall, the shift was obvious. My wolf was getting aggressive.
No one said it out loud. But I felt it.
Eyes followed me, quick, careful, measuring. Not the usual respect. Not the automatic submission that had once settled over the pack like instinct.
Something else.
Something uncertain.
I kept walking.
Boots steady. Shoulders squared. Expression controlled.
Alpha.
That was what they needed to see.
Even if it felt… thinner now.
Lucian fell into step beside me without a word. He didn’t look at me immediately. It just matched my pace.
That alone told me enough.
“What changed?” I asked quietly.
He let out a slow breath. “You already know.”
My jaw tightened.
Yeah.
I did.
“The Lycan,” I said flatly.
Lucian nodded once. “Not just his
