The night air was cool against Jason Alarick's skin as he strode through the palace gardens, his mind consumed by the weight of the upcoming coronation. The stars above seemed to blink in their own quiet rhythm, indifferent to the man who walked beneath them, a king with too many decisions weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Tonight, there would be pledges from the Alphas, a binding ceremony that cemented their loyalty to him. Tomorrow, Ralph would be crowned as the true Alpha of his pack. It was a custom of the park, a tradition that had been followed for centuries, but Jason felt none of the pride or anticipation that should accompany such a momentous event.
Instead, he wandered through the night like a shadow of the king he was meant to be, his thoughts tangled in a labyrinth of law,
