{"Traitors are more dangerous than enemies."}
Three days of quiet.
Three days of careful hope.
The mantle hung behind my chair now, displayed like a banner of defiance and unity. I had not worn it since the ceremony. I told myself it was symbolic, not sacred. But even so… it felt like it was watching the room with me. I was in the command office, finalizing the restructuring for cross-pack training, when the first alarm went off low, sharp, and not the usual practice tone.
A real breach, and before I could reach,t the door to the main corridor exploded inward, ripped from its hinges like it was paper. And Kael Thornclaw walked in, flanked by six enforcers in stripped, blackened armor, rogues. Their insignias had been torn off. I could still smell blood on one of them.
Kael's eyes were cold. Too calm. "Wave," he said. "Still pretending you belong in that chair?"
"You're out of uniform," I said coolly, even as my wolf roared beneath my skin. "And out of your damn mind."
