CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: The Ultimatum
The bell rang at noon.
Once.
Low. Heavy. Final.
Every wolf in the pack knew what it meant.
Council judgment.
The great hall filled quickly. Elders took their seats in a rigid half-circle. Warriors lined the walls. Whispers buzzed like trapped insects, sharp with fear and anticipation.
I stood alone at the center.
No guards.
No escort.
Alpha protection meant I could not be restrained.
It also meant I could not hide.
Alpha Liam entered last.
The room went silent instantly.
He did not look at me.
That hurt more than if he had.
“This council convenes to address instability within the Blackwood Pack,” Elder Rowan began. “Specifically, instability surrounding the Alpha’s judgment.”
Murmurs rippled.
Lyra stepped forward without invitation. “We
