The silver-haired Elder’s voice cracked like a whip through the stone dome.
“Answer the question, Seeker!”
He had stepped down from the crescent bench, his iron staff held like a heavy weapon. The four other ancient Alphas rose slowly behind him, their expressions shifting. They weren't panic-stricken yet—these were men who had ruled for centuries through blood and iron—but the air was thick with a sudden, suffocating tension. Paranoia was a dominant Alpha's greatest curse, and Kaelen had just fed it a feast.
The entire Hall of Judgments held its breath, the silence pressing down on us like the weight of the mountain above.
Kaelen stood on the opposing side, vibrating with a manic, ugly glee. His golden eyes locked on me like a predator who had finally cornered his prey.
Through the f
