I stood my ground in the courtyard, the cool night air prickling against my skin. Every wolf around us had frozen, their eyes darting between me and Kaelen. Challenging an Alpha was risky—challenging one before a mission was unthinkable.
But I wasn't backing down. Not this time.
"Seraphina," Kaelen's voice was deceptively calm, but I could see the muscle twitching in his jaw. "This isn't up for debate."
"You're right, it's not," I replied, crossing my arms. "I'm going. My healing abilities could save lives tonight—maybe even yours."
Kaelen stepped closer, towering over me. "You're carrying our child. Our son. You think I'm going to willingly put both of you in the line of fire?"
"And you think I can just sit here while you charge into danger?" I shot back. "What if you're wounded? What if Ronan gets hurt again? Minutes could mean the difference between life and death."
Lyra stepped forward, moving to stand beside me. "I'm going too."
