The walls of the council hall thrum with tension—raw, electric, dangerous. The marble floors, usually polished to a ceremonial shine, are streaked with dust and blood, both fresh and drying in jagged patterns. Torches lining the columns flicker violently as if reacting to the chaos in the air. The scent of shifting wolves, fear, dominance, and desperation saturates the space.
In the center, Michael’s wolf lies battered—fur matted, sides heaving, ribs protruding. His growls have dwindled into a low, broken rumble. His black eyes, once fierce and proud, are clouded with pain and confusion. His wolf’s spirit flickers like a flame struggling against a storm.
And towering above him—an unmovable wall of fury and authority—stands Alpha Darius.
His massive frame casts a long shadow across Micha
