Aveline
The air in the Great Hall was thick with the scent of old wood, expensive bourbon, and the stifling, predatory musk of a hundred wolves. Sitting at the center of the long, arched table, I felt like a sacrificial lamb dressed in emerald silk. Matteo’s hand was a heavy, possessive brand on my thigh beneath the table—a gesture that was supposed to project unity to the pack, but felt more like a leash.
Across from us sat the woman Kai had warned me about. Serafina Moretti.
She was stunning in a way that felt sharpened to a lethal edge. Her skin was the color of cream, her lips painted a blood-red that matched the silk of her own dress, which clung to her like a second skin. They called her La Vipera, and looking into her hooded, calculating eyes, I understood why. She didn't just lo
