Chapter 45

Aubrey's POV The council chamber had emptied of most members, but a steady stream of Alphas approached Knox, each eager to meet his newly declared mate. I stayed close to his side, hyperaware of the scrutiny directed my way. The marble floors echoed with footsteps and murmured conversations, the afternoon sun streaming through tall windows and catching on the crystal chandeliers overhead. "The infamous Knox, finally tamed?" A broad-shouldered Alpha from the Mountain Ridge Pack clapped Knox on the shoulder, his laugh booming through the space. "Never thought I'd see the day." Knox's arm slipped around my waist, pulling me closer. The gesture was both protective and possessive, making my wolf purr with satisfaction despite my unease. "And from which bloodline do you hail?" another Alpha asked, his keen eyes assessing me with barely concealed curiosity. My throat tightened as fragments of my dream flashed through my mind—blood on snow, screams in the darkness, the metallic taste of fear.