Zane~
The sound of my command still hung in the air—"That's enough!"—sharp and final, like the crack of a whip. The hall fell into an uneasy silence, every eye turning toward me. My alpha's aura had rolled out with the words, pressing down on nobles, warriors, even the common folk at the edges of the crowd. For a heartbeat, no one dared to move.
But silence didn't mean peace. I could feel the tension simmering just beneath the surface, a current of doubt winding through the stillness. Murmurs slipped out like tiny leaks in a dam—soft, hesitant voices that carried too much weight.
"No, it can't be… he stood by us."
"But where's the proof?"
Nathan's crocodile tears had done their work, and I could see it in their faces—the hesitation, the unwillingness to believe what stood right in front of them. They weren't brave enough to shout anymore, not after my outburst, but their eyes said what their mouths wouldn't: suspicion was already taking root.
