The throne room was cold; tension hung in the air, cloaked in disguises and sentiments. Unlike other court meetings and summonses, tonight was different. The room was filled with nobles, court officials, alphas, a luna, and the queen and her son. Prince Rowan wheeled in, with Blake following behind diligently.
Tension was thick in the air, and Rowan could tell many had chosen sides even before they had begun. Queen Melissa sat at the centre, her eyes dark and her grin never fading. By her side was Prince Theron, the real definition of cruelty. The dual stared down at Rowan like he was nothing—a nobody. The ridicule in their eyes couldn't be hidden.
Once Rowan had settled, she leaned forward, her voice like droplets.
"The council was summoned not out of malice, but necessity," she began, her eyes sweeping through the room like a hawk.
"Our kingdom cannot afford instability, not now when the rogues are inching closer."
