= Mikael =
I stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed over my chest, the weight of the moment settling heavier than any council decree ever had.
Amara stood alone at the center of it all.
The pack had gathered at my command—warriors, hunters, even a few omegas lingering at the edges, curiosity outweighing fear. The Veyrath Pack formed a loose half circle around her, just as tradition dictated. No throne. No platform. No protection.
If she was going to stand beside me as Luna, she had to stand on her own first.
She took a breath.
I saw it—the slight rise of her shoulders, the way her fingers curled and then loosened at her sides. Fear lived in her right now, quiet but present. Anyone who said otherwise had never stood in front of an entire pack and declared something that wasn’
