The Alpha Queen Who Refused To Kneel

el the moment her fu

filled on both sides,

sed dais, her back straight, her chin lift

ested on the polish

slightly as

Mooncrest looked smaller now

cil elders spoke in

vultures waiting for a dyi

ther wa

sed, yet the words

on was dead...and

ntil Elder Hadrien leaned forward, his l

male heir," h

d over the room

curled slightly

a

ne seemed to

For the stability of Mooncrest, we m

e came slowly, he

sion to

ze slid along the table, passing over the ot

the name they had

ckthorn of

e moved throu

elt the weigh

Black

of his strength. Others whispered of the ruthless pack he came from, a bloodline kn

s pure. His power unquestioned. If Mooncrest

chest t

ve my pack t

that she did not realize she had spoken al

pressed down

a did not

slowly, storm-gray ey

ghtful heir

clearly throu

ere was nothing

laughte

leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in amusement

her with thinly

child," he said. "P

s jaw t

mly. "His blood runs in me. If my brother

he laughter

ne elder

, eyes cold. "A throne

rl," a third added b

struck l

throne," someone else mut

dug into the ed

ut she forced hersel

te the fury clawing inside her chest. "I have studied diplomacy, warfare, and leadership

expressions ranging from i

an r

er as though she were an interestin

it," he sa

m quiet

l among Alphas," he continued, "then

exchanged gla

rien added, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "perhaps

returned, sha

er Serena's s

ides, anger and humiliation

oug

ame from h

s not

not nee

Alpha Vale comm

ring stiff bows toward the dais. None met Serena'

faded down the

echoing in the chamber l

ed heavily ac

ned toward

oked at her s

exhaustion weighing on him in

ve challenged them

n't stay

pite the anger still s

discuss Mooncres

s briefly. For a moment he did not look like an Alpha

you as their leader," he con

a swa

orld needs

s opene

ness there. B

mured. "Too fierce, some

le tugged a

ot wear a crown alone. The council w

throat

t to be some

ice ha

use I married into it. I wa

e old Alpha simp

d slowly, though the

softly, "is exactl

a step clo

let

against the hea

f them

low before approaching the dais. I

lowed red in t

istakable sigil of a wolf's

he Alpha Domi

reached for

mbled too much t

tly took i

d as she turned the env

nt was thic

ort

she brok

ded louder than it should

he letter and

t halfway throug

watched her

?" he

ed up, her

e invit

ed him t

tten in elegant scr

atula

join the Alpha Class of t

ment, neither

e would never belong among the

ld the proof i