Aria's POV.
The guards' rough hands gripped my arms, their fingers digging into my skin as they dragged me through the pack's Hall. My knees scraped against the cold stone floor, and my black cloak caught on a jagged edge, tearing with a sickening rip.
The crowd's jeers echoed in my ears, a relentless tide of hatred that drowned out the thudding of my own heart. I tried to hold my head up, to keep some shred of dignity, but my tears burned hot, spilling down my cheeks despite my efforts to stop them.
The dungeon awaited me, my death awaited me, and the weight of that truth crushed my chest, making every breath a struggle.
"Stop!" A voice thundered through the Hall, deep and commanding, cutting through the chaos like a blade.
My head snapped up, and I saw Alpha Kael striding toward me, his broad shoulders tense, his golden eyes blazing with a fire that both terrified and comforted me.
