The moonlight fell in shards across the marble floor, slicing through the silence of Alpha Tame’s hall. Kaelen stood by the window, a glass of wine untouched in his hand. He didn’t drink anymore. Not since the night the lies began.

Not since the night he betrayed his brother.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. From the courtyard below, he could hear the faint hum of guards switching shifts, the rhythm of duty he used to love. But peace had never felt so heavy. The air in ...