MAXIMUS:
The pack was colder at night, even with lights burning along the stone walls, gossips still spread across the corridor thick and restless, seeping into every corner. My wolf paced beneath my skin, prowling, snarling, unwilling to rest until every loose thread was pulled tight.
And tonight, the tightest thread was Jasmine.
I stood at the head of the great hall, warriors gathered at my sides. The council had been summoned, elders seated in silence, their faces grave. At my command, Jasmine was brought forward.
She wore chains. Not delicate cuffs, but iron that bit into her wrists and clinked against the stone floor as she walked. Even so, she carried herself with a feigned grace, chin high, lips curled in a brittle smile.
“Alpha,” she greeted sweetly, her voice echoing through
