Lydia's POV
She stood near the edge of the main hall, her hands loosely clasped in front of her, her posture composed in the way she had learned over years of standing beside a man who did not tolerate disruption. Around her, the pack moved in controlled patterns, conversations low, but none of it was natural anymore, not since that night, not since Selene.
Lydia's fingers tightened slightly against each other before she forced them to relax. It wasn't the first time she had felt uneasy like this, but it was the first time she hadn't been able to set it aside and pretend it would pass on its own.
Across the hall, Elias stood speaking with two of the elders, his posture rigid. His voice was loud enough for her to catch the tone, if not every word. Dismissive. Final.
Lydia exha
