Sera's Pov
The night was unusually quiet as we rode through the thick forests leading to the Alpha King's mansion. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the twisting road ahead. It was beautiful on the plane. Now we were in a car, the hum of its engine filling the space between us, the only sound breaking the tense silence.
I stole a glance at my father. Alpha Edmund Nightbane sat rigid in his seat, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
My father was a man of control—calm, strategic, and unreadable to most. But I had spent my entire life observing the small tells that others missed. The way his fingers tapped against the armrest? The way his brows drew together, just slightly, in concentration?
He was uneasy.
And that alone was enough to put me on edge.
I shifted in my seat. "Are you going to tell me what's going on now?"
His expression didn't change. "I told you. An emergency world meeting has been called."
"You also told me I had to come, which makes no sense," I said, crossing my arms. "World meetings are for Alphas, Betas, and high-ranking pack members. I'm none of those things."
"You're my daughter."
"That's not a reason," I shot back. "And you know it."
He exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his chin. "Sera, this isn't the time."
I narrowed my eyes. "When will be the time? After we get there? After I'm thrown into a room filled with some of the most powerful wolves in the world with no idea why?"
He didn't answer.
I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling in my chest. I hated being kept in the dark, especially when it felt personal.
"Dad," I said, my voice softer this time. "What's really going on?"
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. He was debating something—whether to tell me or keep me guessing.
Finally, he sighed. "There's been talk of a war."
I stiffened. "What?"
"A coup," he clarified, his voice grim. "Someone is planning to overthrow the Alpha King. We don't know who yet, but the signs are there. That's why the meeting was called. Every Alpha is required to bring along two important people. I'm bringing my beta and you.
I didn't like the sound of that.
I was still processing his words when the mansion came into view.
And gods, it was massive.
The Alpha King's estate loomed ahead, built into the heart of the forest like a fortress. The mansion was all black stone and towering spires, stretching wide across the land. Balconies jutted out at every level, banners bearing the crest of the King's pack—a silver wolf surrounded by a ring of stars—hanging from the highest points. Guard towers lined the perimeter, their torches burning brightly even in the dead of night.
A fortified stronghold. A place built to protect and imprison in equal measure.
I swallowed hard.
Inside, the grandeur was just as overwhelming. Vaulted ceilings, stone archways, and massive chandeliers dripping in crystals lined the entrance hall. The air buzzed with power as dozens of werewolves—Alphas, Betas, and high-ranking warriors from various packs—filled the space, their voices mingling in a low hum of conversation.
My father placed a hand on my back, guiding me through the throng of bodies.
"Stay close," he murmured.
I nodded, my senses on high alert as I took in the wolves around us. Every pack had a presence here, their scents mingling in a strange mix of familiarity and tension. Some wolves stood tall and composed, their gazes sharp and assessing. Others murmured in hushed voices, their eyes darting around as if expecting an attack at any moment.
The meeting hall itself was enormous—a circular chamber with a domed ceiling, its walls carved with ancient symbols of our kind. Rows of long wooden tables lined the room, arranged in a semi-circle around a raised platform at the front. That was where the Alpha King would sit.
I settled into a seat beside my father, my fingers tapping absently against the polished wood.
Something felt off.
I couldn't name it, couldn't place it, but there was a strange pull in my chest—a tension humming beneath my skin that had nothing to do with the unease in the room.
I shifted in my seat, rubbing a hand over my arm.
And then—
A sudden hush fell over the chamber.
A single word rang out, clear and commanding.
"The Alpha King has arrived."
The air thickened.
The heavy doors at the front of the hall swung open, and the moment I laid eyes on him—
I stopped breathing.
Because the man walking through those doors, the ruler of our kind, the most
powerful wolf in existence—
Was him.
Lucian.
The man from my dreams.
My mate.