Mira stepped inside behind Ryker, her chains clinking softly with every step; the elders sat in a semicircle on elevated chairs, their eyes sharp, calculating, and full of quiet judgement. Mira’s pulse hammered in her chest. The weight of their scrutiny pressed on her like a physical force, but Ryker’s presence beside her was heavier.
He moved first, standing tall at the centre of the chamber; his golden eyes looked around the room, calm but dangerous like a storm that was about to break. The bond pulsed between them, a constant sound that showed his tension and her fear.
“You have spoken in whispers against me,” Ryker said, his voice low, carrying through the hall like steel. “Now, I demand your attention.”
An elder with grey hair leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Alpha Silverfang,
