Grace POV

"How is this even possible?"

Damien's voice cracks. The confidence, the arrogance, the absolute certainty that defined him for three years—all of it crumbles in those five words.

"Where's the mark?"

The Council Hall falls deathly silent. I can feel the weight of it pressing down—not just here, but below, where the Alphas and Lunas are watching on screens. Somewhere down there, Lilith is seeing this too.

'I hope she's choking on it.'

The ...