Chapter 70

AUBREY'S POV The sounds of the tournament echoed in the distance as I sat in the preparation room with Merlin, my mind a storm of conflicting thoughts. I should have been out there supporting the pack, but the awakening ritual took precedence. My fingers traced the edge of the ritual robe as I thought about Graham submitting my name, and how quickly Alpha Lancelot had crossed it off. One small mercy, at least. "You're somewhere else entirely," Merlin observed, adjusting the ceremonial items on the table before us. "Want to talk about it?" I opened my mouth, then closed it again. How could I explain that Jax planned to use me to sabotage the ritual? That I was torn between loyalty to the man who had saved my life and the pack that had become my home? The weight of the secret felt like it was crushing me. The door opened, and Luna Grace glided in, her presence immediately filling the room with warmth. She took one look at my face and misinterpreted my troubled expression. "Oh, dear one,"