The council chamber was still thick with tension when Elder Gideon rose to his feet. His expression was like it’d been carved from stone, the authority of an alpha radiated from him as he looked between Roman and Lucas.

The murmurs died immediately.

“This issue ends tonight,” Gideon said, his voice rumbling through the hall. “By ancient law, passed down long before any of us, an Alpha’s right to protect his mate and his bloodline can be challenged only once.”

Lucas’s lips ...