"Power shifts like sand in a storm—unpredictable, dangerous, and never truly belonging to one hand for long."
The War Council Chamber
The chamber was heavy with unease, the scent of candle smoke and parchment lingering in the air. I sat at the head of the long wooden table, the weight of Verauno’s fractured kingdom pressing down on my shoulders.
Across from me, Asher stood with arms crossed, his golden gaze unreadable. The remaining members of the war council flanked either side, some whispering amongst themselves, others tense with expectation.
And then he walked in.
Silence descended over the room.
Every muscle in my body tensed as the former Alpha of the Eastern Clans stepped forward, his dark cloak brushing against the stone floor.
Sebastian.
I had fought him once. Nearly kille
