Riley

The heavy silence in the grand hall stretched out for several seconds while my father stared down at the ancient parchment, his hand hovering over the pack seal as the council elders whispered urgently among themselves about the financial ruins a court battle would bring to our shipping lanes. I didn't lower my gaze for a single second because my wolf was standing right at the surface, pushing the alpha energy through my veins to show him that I wasn't backing down from my demand to keep Fantine safe under our laws.

"You are forcing my hand, Riley, and you are risking the entire stability of this territory for...