POV: Alpha Jackson Reynolds
The Great Hall of Whispering Pines had transformed from a ballroom into a war room. The scent of roasted meats and celebratory wine had been replaced by the sharp, metallic tang of whetstones on Star-Iron and the heavy aroma of medicinal salves.
Outside, the purple-gold barrier shimmered, a translucent dome of defiance against the thousands of obsidian wraiths scratching at the air like glass. But inside, there was a different kind of power: the power of blood and bone.
"Uncle Ethan!" I called out as I descended the grand staircase.
Alpha Ethan Walker was wiping black ichor from his forearm, his chest still heaving from the initial skirmish. When he saw me, he let out a rugged laugh and pulled me into a crushing bear hug. "I’ve seen some things in my time, J
