Bella paused, her hand hovering in the air, trembling. She spoke truthfully, her voice carrying across the silent pack grounds. "That is true, Beta Kael."
In a situation like this, the truth had to be spelled out. It wasn't just about Cleopatra anymore.
It was about other innocent she-wolves, women who had suffered in silence, women who had been threatened into submission.
The weight of that responsibility pressed down on Bella's shoulders, but she did not buckle. She stood tall.
For a moment, Kael felt something twist inside him. Pity. Was Cleopatra a victim in all this? Had she been shaped by horrors beyond her control? The thought lingered, uncomfortable and unwelcome. But he was a beta.
He had no right to summon and question an Alpha. That was a matter for the king. And the king handled it flawlessly.
"Alpha Corvine, can you…"
