Yara's POV

I walked into Alpha Malachi's chambers with my head held high and my hands folded neatly in front of me. He was sitting in an armchair near the window, a goblet of wine dangling from his fingers. The light streaming in from behind him made him look almost otherworldly, like some kind of dark god lounging on a throne.

He looked up when I entered, his eyes tracking my every movement. "Ah, Yara. Come in."

I stepped closer and stopped a few feet away from him. "You summoned me, Alpha."

He took a slow sip of his wine, then set the goblet down on the small table beside...