Kane’s POV
By the time the sun broke over the horizon, the pack already knew.
Whispers moved faster than wildfire. By dawn, every corridor of the pack house carried the same words on hushed lips: the Alpha fought his brother. Some said I nearly tore Lucas apart while some said he nearly bested me. None of them knew the truth but the truth didn’t matter. Rumors never cared about truth.
And rumors had long claws when they reached the Elders.
I knew the summons would come before it did. My beta’s knock was sharp against the door of my chamber. His face was pale and his eyes uneasy.
“The Council requests your presence, Alpha,” he said.
Requests. Always that word, always a lie. The council didn’t request. They demanded.
I didn’t waste time asking what it was about. We both knew.
The cou
