Natalie's POV
The white void reformed around us. Solid. Real. I stood between Xander and Kade with the crown heavy on my head. Xander's collar gleamed at his throat. Kade's chain hung loose around his wrist. We were marked. Changed. But not yet bound.
Elder Cassia materialized in front of us. Her blind eyes swept across each of us in turn. "You have each faced your truth. Survived what breaks most wolves. But that was only the beginning."
"What comes next?" My voice sounded small in the endless white.
"Now you face each other." Cassia raised her withered hand. The void shifted beneath our feet. When it settled we were standing in a perfect triangle. Equidistant. Each of us alone but together. "The Triad Bond requires consent. All three must accept. All three must submit willingly. Hesi
