Nolan POV
The lights were too bright.
They washed the stage in a harsh white glow, flattening everything beneath them—faces, expressions, even the banners hanging behind us. It made the world feel unreal, like a set piece constructed for an audience that didn’t understand the cost of what it was watching.
I stood behind my podium, hands resting lightly on the edge, posture controlled. Calm. Every instinct honed to stillness.
To my left, three other alphas waited their turns to speak, their expressions carefully curated. To my right—
Kieran.
He looked immaculate. Perfectly tailored suit, hair in place, expression composed into something that suggested confidence rather than strain. But I knew better. I’d learned how to read the cracks beneath the polish.
His eyes
