#Chapter 65- Hope

Cora The early morning was quiet—too quiet for what was about to happen. The ritual circle was simple, drawn with Kingston’s fingers in salt across the wooden floor of his bedroom. A flickering candle sat in each corner of the room, casting golden halos against the walls. Somewhere nearby, Riley slept soundly in the guest room, blissfully unaware that his mother was about to tie her soul to another during the early hours of morning. “Usually another pack leader does this,” Kingston explained. “But since we can’t tell anyone…” “There’s no one higher ranked than the Alpha King,” I said. “You’re doing a fine job regardless.” He smirked at me. “It’s not going to be my prettiest work, but it will do what we need it to.” He went back to setting up the ceremony. My hands trembled slightly as I stood barefoot in the center of the circle. Kingston was already there, eyes steady and warm, his aura thrumming with calm despite the enormity of what we were about to do. “You