ZARIA'S POV
The messenger’s words felt like a physical blow to the room. The sudden silence in the art gallery vanished, replaced by an instant wave of high-alert panic. The guards by the doors didn't even wait for a command; their hands dropped straight to the hilts of their swords.
Cassian stood perfectly still for a second, his dark hair falling into his face. I could feel the exact moment his energy shifted from a protective mate back to a ruthless king. The fur on his jaw disappeared completely, and his long claws slid back under his skin, but his expression stayed cold.
He turned to his lead commander, his voice dropping into a dangerous, quiet rumble that made everyone freeze. "Lock down the entire inner perimeter right now," he ordered. "I want the archers on the walls. I want
