Kael's POV.
I sat in the throne chamber, my hands clenched on the armrests of my chair, my heart pounding with anger and worry.
The room was bright, sunlight streaming through tall windows, but the air felt heavy, thick with tension.
Beta Brian stood across from me, his brown eyes narrowed, his voice loud as he argued, his hands waving.
"Nicholas won't come, Alpha," he said, his tone sharp, his face tense.
"He's too proud. Calling him here is an insult. He'll never show." His words grated, my jaw tightening, my side throbbing under the bandage, the unhealing wound a constant ache.
My wolf, Zeus, growled, his protectiveness fierce, my anger at Elijah's betrayal, my former Gamma, a Fang pack spy who tried to kill me and Aria, still burning.
I'd demanded Alpha Nicholas come to the Shadow Claw pack to face his traitor, and I wasn't backing down.
"He'll come," I said, my voice hard, my eyes burning into Brian's.
