Rayna’s POV
The council broke at last, Garrick already barking orders as he left the building, Kael at his side, blood still streaking down her cheek. Lira lingered longest, her strange silver eyes lingering on me in a way that made my wolf bristle - half warning, half blessing. Then she too slipped away.
Only Damon and I remained.
His hand found mine, rough and steady, grounding me when the weight of everything pressed like stone across my shoulders. I was a queen now. A queen with enemies at every border, with wolves at my back who were as likely to tear each other apart as they were to fight for me.
But when his thumb brushed over my knuckles, all I felt was fire.
“Tomorrow,” Damon murmured, his voice a low growl only I could hear, “we face the Alphas together.”
My throat was raw,
