Ben

The air inside the Blue Rock hall buzzes with tension long before Tessa calls the meeting to order. I stand near the entrance, greeting pack members as they filter in—some with nods, some with tight smiles—but all of them carrying the same thing in their scent: nervous curiosity.

They try to hide it, out of respect for me and for Tessa, but I feel every pulse of unease like a drum against my skin.

They’re afraid, my wolf murmurs, pacing inside me. Not of you. Not of her. Of what’s coming.

Yeah. I know.

Leading a pack into war wasn’t supposed to be part of my life’s plan. Especially...