The throne hall had never been this silent.
Not even the howling wind beyond the Blood Moon citadel could pierce through the suffocating stillness that now gripped every soul present.
The air itself seemed to weigh them down.
Aldrake's hands clenched the arms of his chair so tightly the wood cracked beneath his grip, while Amber trembled as if her bones were made of glass.
Her eyes darted from face to face, desperate for sympathy. Tears slid down her cheeks, and after a few shaky breaths, she rose from her seat.
"No… that's not true!" she screamed, her voice cracking as it echoed through the hall.
"How could I do that? I love Livia as my sister — how could I steal her mate? Alpha Aldrake loves her more than anything. That night, he was just introducing me because I didn't know anyone. And Livia… she agreed to it!"
