Chapter 3: The Weight of the CrownThe morning sun didn't rise over the Silver Moon territory; it pierced through the heavy mist like a golden blade. Elara hadn’t slept. She had spent the night curled in the armchair, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of Leo’s chest, her mind racing faster than a hunted deer.The announcement was coming. She could feel it in the very air of the house—the frantic scrubbing of floors in the hallway, the hushed, frantic whispers of the servants, and the heavy, rhythmic thrum of the pack’s collective heartbeat gathering in the courtyard below."Mama, my chest feels heavy," Leo murmured, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. The fever had broken, replaced by a strange, buzzing energy that made his small fingers twitch."That’s just the pack, Leo," Elara said, moving to the bed to pull him into her arms. She buried her face in his hair, breathing in the scent of home and heartbreak. "They’re loud. But you have to be brave today. Can you do that for me?"Leo look
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