The king said nothing to that. An unease settled deep in his chest—one he couldn’t explain—but he couldn’t afford to react recklessly. Not now. He forced himself to relax, steadying his breathing before he spoke again.

“You owe a duty to this land,” the king said calmly. “What do you suggest we do? Not just as our gamma, but as a protector of the wolves.”

Meret hesitated, weighing everything she had seen, everything she had felt—the whispers, the memories brushing against her ...