Ember's POV
My legs shook as I stood up. Every single person in the room was staring at me.
"I have to do this," I whispered to myself.
The babies were crying in Ash's arms. They could feel something bad was about to happen. My heart was breaking just looking at them.
"Ember," Cade's voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear it. "It's okay."
But it wasn't okay. Nothing about this was okay.
High Elder Grimm banged his wooden hammer on the table. "The omega will now make her choice. Speak loudly so everyone can hear."
I turned to face Cade. His silver eyes were full of tears, but he was trying to be brave for me. He knew what I had to do to save our children.
"Cade Blackwood," I started, my voice cracking.
The mate bond between us began to buzz with warning. It knew what was coming.
"You were my first mate," I continued. "You gave me beautiful babies."
"Ember, don't," someone in the crowd whispered. It sounded like his mother.
