"Kelly, you speak of duty, of the greater good," he says, the strain evident in his tone. "But at what cost? How many more of my pack must I watch perish for this alliance?"

"Markus, I know the price is high." My heart clenches with empathy for the Alpha before me. "But if we falter now, all our packs will suffer. We fight not just for today, but for tomorrow-for Eden and all the young ones who deserve a world untainted by the Black Faes' corruption."

His gaze holds mine, searching, weighing ...