Nikolai

The moment the door clicked shut behind Lorelei, the room erupted.

It was like a dam breaking. A low, buzzing murmur swelled instantly, filling the opulent hall with the sound of a dozen simultaneous, gossiping conversations.

My teeth ground together, a muscle in my jaw jumping in a frantic, irritated rhythm. They were like children, a council of the realm’s most powerful Alphas reduced to a squawking flock of hens.

Above the din, I picked out the words, each one landing like a ...