kitchen swung shut, sealing

f hot air from the industrial ovens felt like a physical blow to her frozen skin. She slid down the rough brick unti

mor to stop. The metallic scent of blood and terror still lingered in her nose. Yet, beneath the ste

herself it w

l reaction in the courtyard was a primal survival instinct misfiring under immense pressure. The magnetic, terrifying pu

howing weakness for too long. If the head cook caught her hiding by t

f the gas stoves. The stakes had never been higher. A single burnt meal or a misplaced fork could give the Alpha King a reason to

n. She moved toward the massive stone sink in the corner, tur

silver plates, his face pale and tight with anxiety. He set the plates

out a word, dryi

ce barely audible over the cla

the running water. "I

one was listening. "You refused to drop to the ice. Marcus looked like he wanted to rip y

oice steady despite the lingering tremble in her fingers. "I do not

l guards are currently tearing apart the lower archives. They kicked the pack elders out of the record room. They are pulling decade

r a public insult, only to immediately order his soldiers into the dee

towel carefully. "I will wash the dishes. I will scrub the flo

ht. The royal dinner service begins in two hours. The dining hall i

e frantic plating crew on

hed crystal wine glasses until her muscles ached. The mind numbing labor was a welcome distraction. It kept her thoughts away from th

n doors sl

cooks froze in their tracks, dropping their utensils. Th

Rook marched

ened with cold sweat. The royal guards had spent the last two hours dismantling his authority, tearing through his territory, an

eyes swept over the t

nd suffocating. Every wolf in the kitchen low

k corner. He saw the faded canvas jacket. He saw the wolfles

ctive sneer tw

ng a terrified sous chef out of his path.

nds. She did not run. She stood her ground

ace. He reached out and grabbed a crisp, white serving apron f

ordered, his voice

locking onto his frantic face. "I am a

ink you are special because you stood up in the snow. You think you can disrespect the hi

y ordered his guards to raid the archives before she even looked at him. Marcus

ut of the dining hall

ay from the counter. He shoved it roughly into her hands

o carry the wine. You are going to approach the Alpha King. And when you pour his drink, you are going to drop

eet away, his fists clenched tight at his sides, but steppi

he heavy silver t

de her in front of the royal court as a broken toy to prov

N

lips quietly, but it echoed like

efusal. A dark, furious purple flush crept

ra replied, lifting her chin to meet his furious gl

sted features. "If you do not put that apron on and walk through those doors, I will strip you of your pack affili

the dead of winter was a guaranteed death sentence. She weighed he

nother threat, the temperat

flickered and dimmed, as if starved of oxygen. T

ng ozone and dark am

ot slam. They glided open in

ng stepped i

ectly to the broad, lethal lines of his shoulders. The pristine white fabric of his dress shirt contrasted s

ilent, fluid grace

wolf dropped to their knees on the hard tile floor, submitting

ained from his face, leaving him looking like a terrified corpse. He t

look at the k

He saw Amara. He saw the silver tray in her hands. He saw the furious red

's jaw t

w, deliberate

of the King's polished shoes against the floor tiles. He walked past the massive stee

three feet aw

Marcus was tall and broad, built for northern survival. Yet standi

He did not yell. He did not ne

baritone that cut through

eted that the Alpha must force a ya

illing indifference, but the

rifying gaze. "Your Majesty. I apologize for the disruption. This girl is defective. She lacks a wo

s," Thomas stated. It was not a question. It was a cold

paralyze. "She refused a direct order, Your Majes

is head a fract

ed from deep inside the King's chest. It was the sound of Raze, furio

s said quietly. The words were laced with heavy, dark venom. "An

tating. It stripped away his pride, his authority, and his worth in a single,

dered, his voice dropping into

et in his haste to put distance between himself and Amara

ttention away from

ked at

t dropped to her knees. She stood tall amidst a room full of bowing wolves. Her dark eyes were

d into her pe

clinging to her clothes. The scent of ozone and crushed pine was intoxicating up close.

ached

the edge of the silver tray. His long

ark of electricity

The physical contact sent a jolt of pure fire straigh

felt

ger flashed in his eyes, burning away the cold calculation. For one agonizing second,

He wanted to claim her right here in the

himself to

te was written in the rigid tension of his shoulders. He

held the tray ou

rambled forward on his knees, ta

he Beta quietly. "If you spill a single drop,

lly, scrambling backward

c wrinkle. His face returned to a mask of terrifying, aristocratic blankness. The

arcus. He turned his ba

n to walk toward th

, his dark tactical gear blending into the shadows of the hal

e did not look back at the room

" Thomas

y," the commander

point only he could see. The subtle flex of his jaw wa

ess girl to my t

the order. He merely nod

nal, brief glimpse of Amara standing defiant and

dni