The hall thundered with a booming chorus of voices, echoing Marcello’s name until the very walls seemed to hum with reverence. Yet, beneath the sea of devotion, Marcello’s sharp gaze picked out the few disgruntled werewolves whose eyes burned with quiet discontent. He wasn’t alone in his scrutiny Mattia, Alarico, and Leone all scanned the crowd as though searching for hidden daggers behind the smiles.

“What does adwopted mean?” Cesario’s small voice broke the tension, his head ...