Serenity's POV
I catch it out of the corner of my eye first—a ripple in the crowd, a subtle shift in the hall’s energy. My pulse stutters, and my stomach tightens before my brain can even process what I’m seeing. Then I see him. Darian. Already standing by one of the front seats, calm, composed, but every inch of him radiating control, readiness, and the kind of danger that doesn’t announce itself with noise—it just exists, quietly, inevitably. My chest constricts. Relief and panic collide in a chaotic rush.
He’s here. He’s seen everything. He must have. The confrontation with Alpha Veyra, the guards, the words, the threats—they’ve all passed in a blur, and he’s witnessed them. My wolf stirs at the thought, a low hum of awareness that something powerful has arrived. My hands tighten at m
