Caleb slammed the heavy oak doors of the solar so hard the stone walls seemed to shiver. He didn't let go of Elara's arm. He flung her toward the velvet chaise lounge like she was a piece of discarded silk. She didn't fall. She caught herself, staring him down with eyes that refused to leak a single tear.
"You shamed me in front of the high council," Caleb roared, his chest heaving under his furs. His shadow stretched across the floor, looking more like a monster than a man. "You questioned my honor at the feast. Over a girl? Over a scent?"
"I questioned a liar, Caleb," Elara snapped. The fear was there, but the rage was winning. "I saw you. I saw her. I saw the way you touched her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. Was she part of the 'trade deal' too?"
Caleb stopped pacing. The room went deathly quiet. He didn't deny it. He didn't make up another story about messengers or grandfathers. He just stood there, his jaw working, his eyes turning that flat, predatory gold.
"She is a Crescent Moon Alpha," he said, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly calm register. "Her bloodline is ancient. Her power is a match for mine. She doesn't just sit at a table and look pretty, Elara. She commands."
The words felt like a blade twisting in Elara's gut. "And what am I? Just the girl you picked to play house with? You told me you loved me. You told me I was your soul's anchor."
Caleb let out a short, bark-like laugh. It was the cruelest sound she had ever heard. He stepped closer, leaning down until his nose was inches from hers. He smelled like blood and cold wind.
"I said what I had to say to keep the peace, Elara," he hissed. "You were a necessity. A soft face to show the pack while I built the real foundations of this empire. You wanted to hear it? Fine. I don't love you. I never did. Love is for humans and weaklings."
Elara felt the world tilt. "Then why marry me? Why the gifts? Why the promises?"
"Because you were easy," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth. "You were a distraction. But now you are a nuisance. You are poking into corners where you don't belong, and quite frankly, I am bored of the act."
He reached out, his hand wrapping around her throat—not to choke her, but to claim her. He forced her to look at him. "The girl you saw? She is the future of this pack. You? You are just a memory I haven't cleared out yet."
He shoved her back, his eyes dismissive. "Get out of my sight. Go to your chambers and stay there. If you breathe a word of this to the elders, I will make sure you disappear before the sun sets."
Elara didn't move for a second. The man she loved was dead. This creature standing in front of her was just a beast in a king's clothing. She turned and walked toward the door, her heart cold as ash.
The hunt hadn't just started. It was personal now.