The day of my coronation arrived as scheduled.
Draped in the ceremonial cloak of the Alpha King, I walked toward the throne with calm confidence.
Oliver stood beside me, shoulders squared despite his youth.
Pride lit up his face as he accepted the crowd's cheers at my side.
My gaze swept over the sea of faces below.
I found Kevin almost immediately.
Dressed in black, he stood apart from everyone else, lingering at the edge of the crowd as though he didn't belong there.
When the ceremony finally ended and the crowd began to disperse, everyone eventually left. Everyone except Kevin.
He slowly walked toward us, his posture hesitant and humble.
Clutched tightly in his hands was a finely carved wooden sculpture.
It was a wolf. Every detail had been carefully carved by hand.
"Oliver,"
