Maria.
The moment it became clear that Galen was gone, chaos erupted across the arena.
"What the hell just happened?" someone shouted from the crowd.
Murmurs quickly turned into loud voices as pack members looked around in confusion, trying to make sense of the sudden disappearance.
The guards standing near the execution board looked just as stunned. One of them still held the raised blade in his hand, his eyes wide as he stared at the empty board where Galen had been only seconds ago.
Davian stood up so abruptly that his chair toppled backward with a loud crash.
"Silence!" his voice thundered across the arena.
The crowd instantly quieted.
His sharp gaze swept across the entire trial ground, fury simmering just beneath the surface.
"How did this happen?" he demanded.
None of the guards answered immediately.
They all looked uncertain, glancing at one another nervously.
