“Father, please don’t talk to her like that.”
Ansel’s voice was steady but edged with something dark. Protective.
Ronald’s head snapped toward him, his growl rumbling low in his chest. The sound made the walls seem to tighten.
I reached out before I could think, resting my hand gently on Ansel’s forearm. His skin was hot beneath my palm. “Alpha Ronald,” I said, forcing calm into my tone. “Nelson is the one who provoked the situation.”
Ronald’s sharp eyes cut to me. “Nelson,” he repeated. “The one you claimed as your mate?”
I cleared my throat, suddenly uneasy under his gaze. “That’s beside the point. Nelson challenged Ansel. He did everything he could to diffuse it without violence.”
Ronald crossed his arms over his chest and turned his full attention to his son. For a brief moment,
