ALPHA XAVIER POV

The castle gates creaked open, their rusty hinges groaning under the weight of the imposing figure that stood before them. It was Isabel, my betrothed, accompanied by Valerian, her guardian angel, and their entourage. The moon, a sliver of silver in the inky black sky, cast long, skeletal shadows that danced around them like specters. I had expected an ambush, a desperate attempt to reclaim Wolfshade, the stronghold that served as our home. After all, the alliance against me was vast and powerful, their hatred for me a festering wound that pulsed with every passing day.

But Balecheya, the kingdom they had been part of the meeting,...