I understood the threat before Sabine finished explaining it.
“A stronger alpha.”
“Yes.”
“How much stronger?”
“Strong enough to command wolves outside his bloodline.”
Rhea stopped moving.
“A king,” she said.
The word entered the room like something unwelcome.
Sabine opened her eyes.
“Potentially.”
I stood despite the pain in my knee.
“So Atlas finds me days before he is supposed to become alpha, and I am the one person who could make him a king.”
“Hannah—” Rhea began.
“No.”
I looked at her.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Atlas?”
“Not when he found you.”
“Now?”
Rhea hesitated.
The hesitation answered.
“He learned this morning,” she said.
“And he didn’t tell me.”
“You arrived here before he had the chance.”
“He stayed outside my house all night.”
“Because you were attacked.”
“
