SERAPHINA’S POV
It was afternoon by the time we took our seats.
The warmth of Kieran’s declaration lingered beneath my skin like an ember he’d lit within me.
I stood at his right at the head of the long table as the last of the Alphas settled into their seats. The low murmur of voices faded into a tense, expectant quiet.
Kieran didn’t rush into it. He let the silence stretch just long enough to gather everyone fully into the moment, his presence alone anchoring the room.
His gaze swept deliberately across the table, lingering just long enough on each Alpha to ensure they felt acknowledged.
Then he spoke. “We’ll begin.”
Here goes nothing.
“This meeting was called because something has been happening across our territories for years—and we’ve all been dealing with pieces of it in isolation.”
Kieran rested one hand against the table.
“Mysterious disappearances,” he said simply. “Mysterious returns.”
But there was nothing simple about those words.
