na

under the weight of his authority. The air grew thick, h

a mottled canvas of shock and humiliation. He spar

o toe, a silent, intense assessment. Only when he seemed satisfied that I

any emotion. "I believe I just heard you threat

on, but it felt

r matriarchal pride. "She struck my son! She is a Maye

Princess of the Blackwood Pack. Her title precedes her marriage. Second, before you lecture anyone

ena flinched

gave you the authority to accuse a princess of murder based

r, snarled, "Caitlynn did

lethal calm. "Until a diagnosis is made, any accusation is slander. Is House May

authority pressing down on Bowen until the air seemed

of this man, that her usual tactics of screeching and

smooth motion, dropped to one knee before me. He placed his right fist over hi

owering by the dresser, looked as if she might faint.

I quickly understood: this was a public declaratio

r, a sound that promised unwavering strength. "Shadow G

on: he was not here to medi

could feel the waves of humiliation rolling off him. The Alpha King's

nother life, flashed behind my eyes: this same man, drenched in blood, stand

hadn't known I was capable of anymore. This ma

ice steady, infused with the auth

ain of strength, and took his place

he pale, shattered faces of the Mayer family. "We wait for t

between me and their hatred. For the first time