Nina

“You heard him, Dominic,” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended. “I need a minute. To think. This is too much.”

Lucas steps forward, his face a mask of frustration. “But Nina, we can’t keep delaying this. We need to act now. He’s already trying to manipulate the entire pack.”

“I know,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “But I need a second. Just a second to process everything that’s been thrown at me. I can’t make a decision when my head’s spinning like this.”

There’s a beat of silence, and I can feel the council members’ eyes boring into me. I’m their Alpha now. They’re...