"Kneel, Natalie," I commanded, my voice as cold as the winter winds that howled outside our territory. "Kneel and beg for forgiveness for what you did to my daughter."
The room fell silent. Everyone's eyes bounced between us like a ticking time bomb. Natalie's perfect mask slipped, revealing the monster beneath.
"I will do no such thing," she spat, her pristine features twisting with rage.
I stepped closer, my grief and fury giving me strength I never knew I possessed. "You stole her kidney. You stole her life. The least you could do is kneel."
Julian moved between us, his broad shoulders creating a barrier. "Aurelia, that's enough."
"Defending her again?" I laughed, the sound hollow and broken. "Some things never change, do they?"
"I'm not defending anyone," Julian insisted, his amber eyes stormy with confusion. "I just need to understand what happened."
