Kael looked at the silent night sky.
“We can fight the visible enemy,” he finally said. “But the enemy hiding behind a smile, that’s the hardest to fight.”
Adriana turned her head quickly. “What do you mean??”
Kael took a deep breath. “Since Ryan became Alpha, not everyone is happy about it. You know, he’s not the eldest. He’s not the heir his family wanted.”
“So his own family—”
“Not all,” Kael interrupted, quickly but calmly. “But some of them. They think Ryan is too weak because he prefers peace. Because he doesn’t rule with fear like the previous Alphas. They think he’s too soft, too human.”
Adriana gripped the hem of her robe tightly, her heart squeezing. “But he’s a good leader.”
“Yes,” Kael looked at the dark sky. “But kindness isn’t always favored in a world like this. Some
