The air in the war room crackles with tension. I feel it more than I want to admit, the uneasy alliance that’s formed between us. Ryker stands beside me, his muscles tense, his jaw clenched. Across from us stands Kael, the rogue werewolf who once wanted us dead, now offering us his help. And surrounding us are the defectors from the rebellion, their faces hardened with suspicion and doubt.
"I don’t trust him, Nina," Ryker mutters under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.
I turn my head slightly, meeting his eyes. "I know you don’t. But we don’t have a choice right now."
Ryker narrows his eyes, his gaze flickering over to Kael. "You’re asking me to trust the man who once fought against us. The man who might still want to kill me."
"He’s not my enemy anymore," I say firmly, my v
