My fist tightened in Julien’s collar, dragging him so close I could see the veins in his eyes bulging. His breath came ragged, short, almost choking as his fingers clawed desperately at my arm. He tapped weakly against my forearm, trying to signal surrender.
“Apologize,” I growled, my voice like steel cutting through the silence of the room.
Julien gasped, struggling, his face reddening, but my grip only tightened.
“Kael!” Darren’s voice trembled behind me, pleading, but I didn’t move an inch. My eyes stayed locked on the man who dared slap my brother.
“How dare you lay your filthy hands on him?!” I barked. “If you don’t want to end up dead tonight, then you apologize to my brother right now!”
The room fell into stunned silence. Then, Seraphine shot to her feet, her voice shrill with
