ZARIA'S POV
The grand banquet hall was absolutely beautiful. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the high, vaulted ceiling, throwing a warm, brilliant light over hundreds of high-ranking wolves and visiting Alphas from the East. The long tables stretching across the room were packed to the brim with massive silver platters of roasted meat, fresh winter fruits, and heavy chalices filled with dark wine. The entire room was a loud, chaotic mix of booming laughter, deep voices, and the heavy, overlapping scents of a dozen different powerful packs. It was an overwhelming display of wealth and power, designed to show the rest of the continent exactly what the northern kingdom was capable of.
But the exact second Cassian led me through the massive double doors and toward the head table, a sudde
