The morning sun broke over the high peaks of the Redclaw pack’s territory, casting long, fractured beams of golden light across the polished stone floors of the main palace. Yet, inside the private chambers of the Luna Queen, no warmth penetrated the icy air.
Mallory sat upright against a stack of embroidered pillows, her posture rigid and unyielding. The heavy herbal infusions had dulled the white-hot agony in her lower abdomen, leaving behind a dull, throbbing ache that served as a constant, bitter reminder of the night she had nearly died. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the glacial fury currently hardening inside her chest.
A soft, cautious knock sounded at the heavy oak door before it creaked open. Lucy slipped quietly into the room, her footsteps feather-light as she
