The tension in the room was palpable, almost thick enough to cut through with a blade. Isolde, the Alpha Queen of the Blackfang Pack, stood across from me, her sharp eyes narrowing as she sized me up. Her warriors flanked her, their weapons a quiet promise of force. I could feel the weight of their gazes, distrust laced with curiosity.
Lucian stood by my side, his presence like a shadow that shielded me from the gathering storm. His usual stoic expression was just a little more focused today. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was on edge—he knew the stakes here as well as I did. This was no ordinary negotiation. This was the moment I would either secure an alliance or risk everything.
“You are the doctor,” Isolde said, her voice dripping with skepticism. “But you’re also a woman wh
