[WARNING! Unedited! Don't buy!]
The air shifted before the man even spoke.
It was subtle at first—the way the wolves straightened, the way the growls died in their throats as though strangled by an unseen hand. Authority did not need to announce itself. It arrived, and others simply knew.
Selene did not need to see him to guess who it was.
Still, she leaned slightly to the side of the hedge, curiosity outweighing caution.
Roger.
He moved through the garden with the unhurried confidence of someone accustomed to obedience. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair falling just enough over his brow to lend him that careless allure women mistook for depth. His presence carried the quiet pressure of an Alpha not yet crowned—but inevitable.
His gaze swept the gathering once.
The growling ceased entirely.
"What is this?" he asked, voice calm.
Too calm.
Georgina recovered first. She stepped forward, chin lifted, crimson hair catching the light like a banner of war.
