The pre-dawn air was a sharp, biting cocktail of mountain pine and the metallic tang of impending frost. In the courtyard of the Blackwood estate, the flickering amber lights cast long, distorted shadows against the gravel as the final preparations reached their peak. The sleek, glass-and-steel architecture of the mansion felt cold and distant compared to the raw, ancient energy vibrating between the people gathered at its feet
In the dim, cavernous front hall, Fennigan stood before Leela, his massive frame creating a sanctuary of warmth that blocked out the morning chill. He didn't speak at first; he simply traced the line of her cheekbones with his thumbs, his gold-flecked eyes memorizing every detail of her face as if he were going into battle.
Slowly, deliberately, the Alpha sank to
