Rafael stood before the three council heads. Sonya noticed a sense of defiance in his stance despite the weight of their judgmental gazes as they bore through her.
Sonya and Gracie stood a few yards away as Rafael approached the dais. Now, she held on to Gracie, hoping that the day would turn out as she wanted.
The first council head, a grizzled old wolf with a permanent scowl, leaned forward and spoke in a low, gravelly voice. "Rafael, you've been gone for months. You went AWOL. You've lost your pack and trying to get it back, you lost your leg. Tell us, why should anyone still see you as an alpha worthy enough to face the Council?"
Rafael glanced at Sonya in the distance, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, sometimes even an alpha needs a break, you know? Beside
