The air in the council chamber was thick with the scent of dominance, each Alpha’s aura pressing against mine like a storm ready to break. My pulse thundered in my ears, not because I feared them, but because I could feel the tether tightening between us all—an unspoken claim neither of us could undo.
Kael stood closest, his silver eyes locked on mine, steady but sharp. “You’ve crossed a line, little wolf,” he murmured low enough that only I could hear, his breath brushing my ear. “And now you’re ours to protect… and control.”
I straightened my spine. “I didn’t ask for your protection.”
Ronan’s chuckle came from my left, dark and edged with something dangerous. “Doesn’t matter. You’ve got it. Whether you like it or not.”
The fourth Alpha, Draven, moved forward, his every step deliberat
