The first alarm bell tore through the stronghold before dawn, a sound so sharp and desperate that it ripped Ariana from her restless sleep. She sat upright, the weight of dread already pressing on her chest.
Kael was already awake, pulling on his armor with practiced, furious precision. His golden eyes burned with fire, the Alpha in him fully awake.
“What’s happening?” Ariana asked, throwing back the covers. Her voice trembled despite her effort to steady it.
He didn’t look at her as he strapped on his breastplate. “War.”
Her stomach dropped. “Already?”
“They’ve come to our gates.” His tone was clipped, his body radiating raw energy. “Stay here.”
Her pulse spiked. “You can’t ask me to—”
“I’m not asking.” His gaze finally snapped to her, fierce, unyielding. “I’m ordering you. Do not
