The throne room of Blackstone Keep had never felt so heavy with silence.
Arthur sat upon the high seat, his black cloak pooled like a shadow around him. Yet the weight of his presence had shifted. Once, every wolf who entered the chamber bowed before him instinctively. Now, their movements were hesitant, their eyes flickering not just to their Alpha but to the woman standing boldly at his side.
Ivy.
The Luna the moon itself had claimed.
Her silver aura still clung faintly to her skin, like a memory of Selra that refused to fade. Even now, with her wolf hidden within, she radiated a power that unsettled the air. The council seated below the throne shifted in discomfort, their loyalty splintered, their gazes betraying their unease.
Arthur’s voice broke the silence, deep and sharp. “You
