#Chapter 98 – Final Selection

Damon The crown sat heavy on my brow, and I wanted it that way. Let them feel its weight. Let them remember who they were dealing with. The council chamber was packed once again—Elders seated in their gilded semicircle, nobles and Pack representatives pressed into every corner of the gallery. Even the remaining candidates sat near the front, dressed like this was still a performance. As if their smiles could buy them my affection. They were wrong. I didn’t wait to be introduced or announced. I had called the assembly this time. I let the mock inquisition finish before immediately surrounding the chamber with warriors and calling a full assembly. I descended the steps in silence, each footfall echoing sharp against the stone. The guards parted at the base of the dais. Ronan stood nearby, arms folded, jaw locked. He knew what I intended. I took my place at the center of the chamber, not on the raised throne behind me, but in the open. Grounded. Present. Not hiding b