Alina’s POV
The Beta’s command rolled through the stone corridors like a war drum.
“Every kitchen staff member stays,” Casius barked as they strode into the kitchens, guards fanning out behind him. “No one leaves until we’re finished. Line them up.”
The vast kitchen stilled. Fires hissed under heavy pots, and the sharp scents of rosemary, onion, and baking bread filled the air. A hundred eyes turned toward them—fearful, darting, guilty, or simply confused. Wooden spoons clattered to the floor as the staff fell into line, forming a row along the wall.
Alina’s pulse hammered. Her wolf pressed forward, nostrils flaring against the undercurrent of the kitchen’s usual warmth. Something here was wrong. The air tasted… sour, not of rot, but of magic burned into the walls.
Alina was already m
