The Moonveil Arena had not seen bloodshed like this in decades.
Stone seats carved into the mountainside rose in concentric circles, each etched with sigils of dominance and oath. The air itself felt charged, vibrating beneath the pale glow of the moon, which hung high above. Wolves from every allied territory had gathered, their murmurs weaving into a low, restless hum.
Tonight was not a celebration.
It was judgment.
Theo
I stood at the center of the arena, boots planted against ancient stone that had tasted the blood of countless Alphas before me. Every gaze burned into my back, some filled with awe, others with hunger.
The mate-bond pulsed like a living thing beneath my skin.
Sofia.
Even without seeing her, I felt her—steady, warm, fierce. The bond had not weakened me.
It had s
