Dane’s POV
It became difficult and it showed. The palace became quieter when I passed by, wolves speaking in whispers.
Every corridor I walked through carried a pulse of restrained voices. Maids who once bowed deeply now kept their eyes down, and guards avoided holding my gaze. Something strange is beginning to happen.
It all started after Donna fainted. That night left a mark on everyone, the Alpha’s mate collapsing under the moonlight, whispering another man’s name.
I told myself I didn’t care, that it was only exhaustion, but the truth was uglier. That name still echoed in my head like a curse I couldn’t erase.
By morning, the council had gathered. Their faces were masks of politeness but their scent reeked of judgment.
“The people are uneasy, Alpha,” Elder Roran said, wringing
