Rowan's POV
I froze in the middle of the throne room, the sharp burning pain from the royal signet in my pocket hitting me like a knife straight to the chest, Ash, the name exploded in my head, Ash, my mate, my wolf howling inside me with sudden frantic urgency, I needed to get back to him now, I wanted to get back to him now, my heart racing so hard it felt like it would crack my ribs, everything my father was saying fading to a dull roar in my ears, the throne room suddenly too small, too suffocating, the walls closing in with the weight of crowns and bloodlines and duties I never wanted.
The torches along the stone walls flickered softly, their flames dancing across the polished marble floor, but the light suddenly felt too bright, too sharp against my eyes, every sound in the room ec
