Asher and Bella entered Azriel’s office with Aria nestled in her father’s arms. The atmosphere was heavy, and Azriel and Lora’s grim expressions only heightened the tension. Asher’s brows furrowed in concern.
“What’s happening?” he asked, his voice a mixture of conflict and alertness.
Azriel didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his laptop toward them, revealing King Markus on the screen. The king’s usual composed demeanor seemed clouded with unease as he cleared his throat.
“I have news. Terrible news,” Markus began, his voice grave. “This morning, Alpha Tronel’s body was discovered by a group of humans, hikers. From preliminary investigations, it appears he suffered a brutal beating and ultimately succumbed to a heart attack.”
The silence in the room was deafening as the weig
