The Reckoning
The tension in the air was thick as Aria stood in the grand hall of the Nightfall Pack's main house, surrounded by wolves who clearly didn't want her there. The walls, adorned with ancient tapestries and weapons of past warriors, bore silent witness to the storm brewing within the pack.
Alexander stood at the head of the room, his golden eyes scanning the gathered wolves with the intensity of a predator watching its pack. His presence alone demanded obedience, but Aria could feel the simmering resentment beneath their bowed heads.
She had felt it last night too—the unspoken hatred, the glares, the whispers.
But this… this was different.
This was open defiance.
Alexander's voice, deep and commanding, cut through the murmurs. "Listen well."
Silence fell immediately.
"This is Aria." His gaze swept over his pack, his expression as unreadable as ever. "She is my mate."