A collective gasp rippled through the gathered ranks, but not a single warrior dared disobey the command of the Alpha King. The synchronized sound of iron breastplates clanking, heavy leather pauldrons tearing free, and steel buckles snapping open echoed up into the vaulted stone ceilings like a barrage of distant thunder. Within moments, nearly two hundred elite guards had stripped away their protective outer armor, standing in thin gray linen tunics and bare, exposed chests under the pale morning light filtering through the high stained glass.Dominic descended the stone steps of the dais with slow, deliberate authority, flanked closely by Garrett, Alam, and Killian. Their gazes were cold and predatory, scanning every throat, every shoulder, every wrist, and every inch of bare skin for the violent, bloody gouges Samantha had left behind in her dying moments.
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