A sad loss

KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

The air in the grand hall crackled with a tension so thick it could have been cut with the ceremonial dagger at my hip. I had overseen the previous summits at the royal palace, each carefully orchestrated. But nothing had prepared me for Paul Biansky' s dirturbance —a werewolf I thought loyal to this pack and to me.

Taken aback, the leaders of both werewolf and human factions exchanged glances rife with suspicion and unease. Whispers slithered through the room like serpents seeking out the warmth of conspiracy. My heart pounded against my chest, not solely from fear but from a burning desire to protect what Jason and I had built.

"Paul, think about what you're doing!" Mr. Grayson's voice, usually so calm and composed, now laced with desperation, cut through the murmurs. The human leader stepped forward, his hands raised in a futile attempt to reach the bewitched soul before us. "This isn't you. You must resist whatever holds your will captive!"