Morning didn’t soften the headlines.
If anything, daylight sharpened them.
LYRIC HEIR ACCUSED OF MISUSING CORPORATE POWER FOR SECRET AFFAIR.
HUMAN WOMAN AT CENTER OF ALPHA SCANDAL.
COUNCIL INVESTIGATES SECURITY BREACH.
Ethan read them once.
Then again.
Not because he needed to understand—but because each word had been chosen to wound with precision.
Misusing.
Secret.
Human.
They weren’t attacking his leadership outright.
They were framing intent.
He set the tablet down carefully on the counter of his penthouse, forcing his breathing to remain steady. His wolf pressed hard against his ribs, restless, furious, demanding action.
Marcus hadn’t accused him of incompetence.
He’d accused him of corruption.
Daniel Cross stood near the window, phone pressed to his ear, issuing clipp
