JESSICA'S POV
The silence in the council chamber felt like forever. I stood there, my heart trying to pound its way out of my chest, surrounded by the solid, protective wall of my brothers. Sebastian's hand on my back burned like a brand.
I felt good. For the first time in... maybe ever. I saw them protecting me, and I'd protected them back. I wasn't just some weak thing to be hidden away. I planted my feet and lifted my chin, meeting Alistair Hale's calculating stare. I'm not backing down.
The council members looked at each other, murmuring. I caught bits and pieces. "...has spirit..." "...undisciplined, but not wrong..." "...the Hale pack shows unprecedented unity..."
The elder woman who'd clapped smiled wider. "The omega's defense, while... unrefined, speaks to a loyalty the pack cl
