Aurora's POV
"Did he name them?" I asked.
"No," Stefano said. "But he told me who to watch."
I didn't need him to say it.
"Marek," I whispered.
He nodded once.
The bond tightened, not with shock but recognition. I had felt the distance growing for weeks the way Marek avoided my eyes, the way his loyalty felt like he was performing.
"And the council?" I asked.
Stefano's jaw tightened. "Some of them. Not all but half of them.
I laughed softly, bitter and tired. "They think they're protecting the pack."
"They think you're becoming something uncontrollable."
I opened my eyes again. "Am I?"
Stefano didn't answer immediately.
That silence hurt more than reassurance would have.
Then he reached out, pressing his forehead to mine. "You're becoming more powerful, I can attest to that," he said. "That frightens people who don't understand how it works."
My throat tightened. "And Catherine?"
