King Paul regarded them with a grave expression. His fingers tapped the armrest of his seat, a rhythm that echoed through the otherwise silent chamber. Finally, he exhaled, leaning forward as if the memories he was about to share had been buried for far too long.
“The Northern Packs…” he began, his voice low, almost reverent. “You speak of a world apart from ours. A realm of ice and iron, of law older than kings or crowns.”
Heiko’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Older than crowns?”
Paul nodded, his gaze distant. “Aye. They call themselves The Wolves of the First Bloodline. Unlike our kind, they never abandoned or changed the ancient ways. They are bound by oath and ancestry — a lineage said to trace back to the First Alphas who walked under the moon itself.”
River felt a chill run down her s
