The hall was silent.

The laughter, the clinking of goblets, the music, all of it had stopped. Every gaze was locked on Mariel, who stood trembling before the table, her pale hands clutching her gown as the new physician stepped forward.

No one expected the matter to be this serious in the alpha’s eyes. No one expected the alpha to do this to Mariel, giving that they were childhood friends before she became his wife.

Kaelen stood beside the high table, tall and unyielding, his cold eyes fixed ...