Ryker's POV:
There was a weird feeling at the base of my throat, like something was going to go absolutely wrong—or absolutely right. I couldn’t tell which. It sat there, heavy and persistent, like a knot just beneath the surface, and my wolf paced behind my ribs, uneasy.
The courtyard was already filling. Alphas from distant territories arrived, each exuding power and confidence, their wolves lingering just beneath their skin, scanning, judging, calculating. The Gshaana—the sacred choosing ceremony—was supposed to be a celebration, but all I felt was pressure mounting by the second.
"What? You look like you’ve seen a ghost." Noah bumped my shoulder, his sharp eyes narrowing.
"I don’t know," I muttered, shaking my head. "My wolf is restless, like he’s waiting for some storm to hit."
N
