Gabriel stood before his father, his jaw tight and his knuckles still raw from the night before. The silence between them was heavy. He could feel Morien’s disappointment before the man even spoke.
“You had one task,” Morien said at last, his voice low and cold enough to freeze the blood in Gabriel’s veins. “One simple task—and yet the Luna still breathes.”
Gabriel’s head snapped up, irritation flashing in his eyes. “We tried. You think we didn’t?” he said, his tone edged with frustration he didn’t dare push too far. “It wasn’t as easy as you made it sound.”
Morien gave a slow, measured turn toward him, his expression hard. “Are you telling me a handful of trained wolves couldn’t handle one woman? One…” he stopped himself, his lip curling. “One outsider who barely knows what strength is
