POV
The great hall of the Blood Moon Pack was thick with tension. Torches burned low, casting long shadows across the stone walls. Warriors knelt in silence, their eyes fixed on the ground, too afraid to meet their Alpha’s gaze.
Derrick stood at the head of the chamber, his jaw clenched, fists tight at his sides. The faint scorch mark Kimberly had left on his arm still lingered, a reminder he couldn’t ignore. It burned not just his skin but his pride.
“She should have been broken,” he growled, pacing like a caged beast. “Instead, she fights with shadows that burn my flesh. Mine!” He slammed his fist into the oak table, splintering it. “Explain this.”
No one spoke. The silence was suffocating, until Catherine glided forward, calm and composed. Her crimson gown shimmered as she bowed he
