I don’t know how to react to Lila’s mark.
62%
My mind is a mess, tangled in rage so sharp I can taste it. My woll surges forward, instincts clawing at me to bare my teeth, to shift right here and now, to rip her apart.
This anger–it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
Then, at the peak of my fury, my wolf speaks, quiet but firm.
“We haven’t felt the pain of a mate’s betrayal. She’s lying.”
The words cut through the haze, a lifeline yanking me back from the brink. I suck in a breath, forcing my muscles to relax before I lose control entirely.
Lila trembles, the scent of her fear lingers in the air, sharp and sour. Her confident smirk is gone. For once, she looks frightened: Her wide eyes flick to mine as she takes a step back, her instincts telling her exactly what kind of danger she’s in.
I flex my fingers, trying to stop the shaking.
This isn’t the time. Not here Siena.
I force myself to straighten my spine.
My voice is low, cutting through the thick air like a blade. “You’ve gone too far this time.”
The surrounding Alphas shift uneasily at the threat laced in my words.
Lila’s lips part, but before she can say a single word, Raiden steps in.
His presence is immediate, drawing all attention toward him.
He doesn’t say anything right away–he doesn’t have to.
His gaze sweeps over the scene, taking in Lila’s shaken stance, my barely restrained fury. His eyes narrow. “What the hell is going on?” His voice is like gravel, low and commanding.
Lila is the first to recover. She lifts her chin, a flicker of her usual vulnerability returning. “I was just-”
“Lying,” I cut in. My voice is steadier now, ice–cold. “Trying to stir up conflict during a stately event. It’s pathetic.”
Lila flinches.
Good.
Raiden steps closer, his body radiating tension. His scent wraps around me, grounding me, but it does nothing to douse the fire simmering in my chest. “Is that true?” he asks Lila, his tone deceptively calm.
For a fraction of a second, I see hesitation flash across her face. But then she squares her shoulders, defiant.
Will you do it? Will you lie to your Alpha King?
“Of course not. Why would I lie?”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Because you’re desperate.”
08:36 Sun, 20 Apr
Chapter 21
Her eyes flash. “That mark-*
