“My patience,” I said. “And right now it’s thinning.”
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. Then his composure cracked just enough for the truth to show. There were a lot of emotions but curiosity and anger were the most visible.
“Fine,” he said at last. “In the name of the Werewolf King, I’ll reconsider your authorization…temporarily.”
“I’m not asking for mercy,” I replied. “Just professionalism.”
Evelyn’s tone turned sugar-sweet. “Your Majesty, I’ll take responsibility for the comparative analysis if Doctor Lean won’t. That way you can still assess performance.”
I cut in before he could answer. “You can test your pride somewhere else, Evelyn. I’m not your rival.”
Vincent’s eyes flicked toward me again, assessing. “You’d defy a royal order that easily?”
“I’d defy anything that risks a
