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The air in the council chamber was thick enough to choke on. Smoke from the braziers curled lazily toward the vaulted ceiling, mingling with the scent of fur, steel, and raw tension. Kael stood at the head of the long obsidian table, every muscle drawn tight as if bracing for impact. His wolf simmered just beneath his skin, restless, teeth bared.
Lucien’s words from the night before echoed in his skull like a curse.
"Give her to us willingly… and we’ll give you the Hollow King."
It had been said softly, without any trace of mockery, but the meaning was poison. And Kael knew poison when he tasted it.
The gathered Alphas—ten in all, representing the strongest allied packs—shifted in their seats, eyes flicking between Kael and Lucien, who stood on the opposite end of the table, hands
