DAMON'S POV

The council chamber was deathly silent.

Only the steady crackle of the fire filled the space, throwing shifting light across the stone walls and the faces of men and women who no longer looked at me with loyalty — only caution.

My pack. My people. My legacy.

And yet, when I looked into their eyes, all I saw were ghosts of the ones we’d lost. The ones I’d failed to protect.

The air in the room was thick with accusation, though none of them dared voice it aloud.

...