Arthur’s POV
The Council Chamber doors slammed shut behind me as I entered—tall, carved stone, etched with the ancient symbols of every pack that once made up our kingdom.
The chamber was circular, lit by torches that flickered violently as if reacting to the tension in the air.
Twelve Elders sat in a ring, their gazes sharp enough to slice skin.
Their scents were a cocktail of suspicion, arrogance, and hunger.
At the head of the circle sat Elder Marcellus—silver-haired, cold-eyed, and far too perceptive for anyone’s comfort.
“Your Majesty,” Marcellus greeted, voice smooth and poisonous. “Thank you for joining us so swiftly. We sensed… something earlier.”
“I felt it too,” I said, keeping my voice level. “A surge of power.”
Marcellus tilted his head. “Indeed. One unlike anything we’
