I stood alone at the edge of the ballroom, taking a moment to breathe and nursing a flute of champagne that I had yet to taste. The crystalline chandeliers cast their fractured light across faces both familiar and strange - some werewolf, some Lycan, all united in their careful assessment of me. Across the room, Theo's head was bent toward Christian's, their conversation clearly intense despite the casual smiles they maintained. I felt the weight of my new position settle across my shoulders like an invisible cloak, heavy with responsibility but also strangely empowering. This moment of solitude wouldn't last; already, I could see Minister Volkov cutting through the crowd toward me, his expression a masterpiece of contrived respect layered over barely concealed disdain.
The minister appro
