AYLA'S POV
"Tonight," I whispered, "it begins again."
Kael didn't ask what I meant. He just reached for my hand, fingers rough and warm, anchoring me to something real.
The council fire hissed low, fat with sap and ancient oils. Smoke rose in tendrils that refused to follow the wind. They curled instead toward me.
Cassia sat across the flames, robes too white for someone who'd waded through so much blood. Her smile didn't reach her eyes. I knew that smile. I'd worn it once.
"I dreamed of you," she said sweetly. "You burned down the forest and crowned yourself queen."
I tilted my head. "And did I look good doing it?"
She didn't flinch. Just sipped her tea like we weren't enemies dancing on the edge of ruin.
Kael stood behind me, his presence a silent growl. The other alphas watched from their corners. Silent. Calculating. Afraid.
"You know why we called this council," said High Alpha Corin.
