I slipped away from the council chamber, the heavy, suffocating scent of panicked Alphas fading behind me. The Vance mansion was a labyrinth of cold stone and secrets, but today, every hallway felt like it belonged to me. The power in my veins acted like a sonar, pulsing against the walls, revealing the heartbeats of everyone hiding in the shadows.
I was strolling through a secluded gallery near the west wing when the sound of hushed, sharp voices drifted from a recessed balcony. I flattened myself against a pillar, my presence bleeding into the shadows.
"This is the perfect timing," Sera’s voice hissed. "With the council in a frenzy over this 'demon' nonsense, we can orchestrate a slip. A disgrace so public that Rowan won't be able to look at that little maid without feeling sick."
I p
