Chapter 36
Joe's POV
My father had finally been laid to rest.
The pack's greatest Alpha, my mentor, my constant…gone. Just like that.
But I didn't shed a tear.
Couldn't.
Not today.
Today… I was becoming king.
The palace buzzed like a hive. Everyone was moving, preparing, whispering blessings to the Moon Goddess. Elders in ceremonial robes drifted through the halls like ghosts, their faces painted in silver. Warriors stood on high alert, guarding every door, and the palace cooks were practically sprinting to keep up with last-minute demands.
All for me.
The youngest Alpha in our lineage.
The weight of it pressed on my shoulders, even before I even put on the ceremonial robe.
I stood in the dressing chamber, staring at my reflection. The robe was heavy and dark as midnight, trimmed with silver thread and ancient symbols of our bloodline. I didn't recognize the guy staring back. He looked like a king.
Ivan walked in, as usual, uninvited and unimpressed.
