"You still don't understand your place," he said, his eyes fixed on me with uncomfortable intensity. "A queen requires refinement, breeding. Your pack produces strong wolves, I'll grant you that, but you lack the necessary pedigree."
"And yet she's doing what everyone said couldn’t be done," Theo replied before I could speak. "Uniting our people rather than dividing them."
Barker’s laugh was cold. "United? You've merely given them false hope. This experiment will collapse, and history will vindicate me."
By the seventh day, exhaustion had settled into my bones. As we prepared for the trial, I stood before the mirror in our chambers, letting Elena help me dress in formal attire befitting my new station. The deep blue dress with silver accents felt foreign against my skin, designed for a
