The silence that followed Delegate Vane’s legal ultimatum was thick enough to choke on. Ace stood frozen behind the cracked wooden table, his chest heaving under his shirt as his golden eyes burned holes into Elder Vance. His claws were still extended, digging deep into the polished grain, but the threat of losing his alpha authority held his inner wolf back by a fraying thread.
Tanya took his forced restraint as a sign of complete defeat. A low, mocking chuckle escaped her lips as she smoothed down the front of her expensive dress. She turned her head slowly, looking down her nose at Rose with a gaze full of venomous triumph.
"It seems the law has spoken, Rose," Tanya said, her voice dripping with artificial pity as she ensured every warrior in the hall could hear her. "A stray simply h
