LOGINRavena's POV
I read the letter twice before I folded it along its original crease and set it down on the table in front of me, because if I held it any longer I was going to do something with my hands that I would regr
Ravena's POV I read the letter twice before I folded it along its original crease and set it down on the table in front of me, because if I held it any longer I was going to do something with my hands that I would regret.Erik was standing a few feet away. He had not moved since the guard came back. He had watched me read the letter with those quiet eyes, reading my face the way he always did when he could not read the room any other way.
The beta Caden rode hard and arrived at the Crestfall Pack before nightfall.He had delivered difficult news before as it came with the position. But standing at the gates of that compound, looking up at a house that had the particular stillness of a place where grief had moved in and never left, he felt the weight of what he was carrying more than usual.A servant led him inside without a word.Alpha Devrin was in
King Alaric's POV I leaned back in my chair and looked at the ceiling for exactly three seconds. Long enough to think but short enough that Cedric would not mistake it for uncertainty."We hold her," I said.Cedric blinked. "Your Majesty?""Astrid stays where she is.
King Alaric's POVI was in the middle of reviewing border reports when Elder Cedric walked in.He did not knock. He never knocked when the news was urgent, and I had long since stopped expecting it from him. The man had served my father before me, and he carried that history like armour. It gave him a particular kind of boldness that I tolerated because it was always earned."Your Majesty," he said, closing the door
Evander's POV I had not meant to eavesdrop.I had only come to check on them. That was all. Just a quiet check before I retired for the night, making sure the door was secure, that Erik had settled, that Ravena was not sitting alone in the dark the way she sometimes did when the grief crept back in and she thought no one noticed.But then I heard her voice through the cracked door, and I stopped.
Ravena's POV In the days that followed, whenever Evander and I were in the same room, Erik would immediately position himself between us.If Evander tried to sit beside me, Erik would squeeze into the space, using his small body to create a barrier.If Evander reached for my hand, Erik would grab it first and hold tight.If Evander spoke to me, Erik would make those broken sounds, drawing my attention back to him.It was constant and relentless. Almost comical if it were not so heartbreaking.Evander noticed, of course. How could he not?And being the perceptive man he was, he changed his approach.He stopped moving with the commanding presence of a general and stopped filling rooms with his alpha energy.Instead, he became gentle and… soft spoken. Almost scholarly in his behaviour.He thought it would help. Thought Erik would feel less threatened.But it had the opposite effect.Erik became more agitated and fearful.He would stare at Evander with wide, terrified eyes. Like he was w
Ravena's POVI hesitated, confused by the seriousness in his voice. "What are you thinking?"He shook his head, his jaw tight. "Don't mind me. Just go on, please."I studied his face for a moment, trying to understand what was running through his mind. But his expression gave nothing away. So I too
The Third PovHigh-ranking officials from every major territory were in the grand hall, their fine clothes and jewels glittering under the chandeliers.This was more than a celebration. This was a display of power. Of hierarchy. Of who mattered and who did not.
Evander's POVThe banquet was winding down. People were still laughing and drinking, but the energy had changed. The lively celebration was giving way to something… quieter.As I stood by the head table, watching Ravena leave with the servant, my chest felt tigh
Evander’s POVI had been waiting in that courtyard for over an hour. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, and every sound made me tense, wondering if it was her carriage approaching.I leaned against the stone pillar, trying to look casual and relaxed. Lik







