Chapter 172

• Dominic's POV
• The weight of the situation pressed heavily on me as I looked at Lucian, who sat silently on the floor, cradling Seraphina's head in his lap. His face was a mask of confusion and pain. "How could she do this?" he whispered, his voice barely audible, but his anguish was clear. I couldn’t bring myself to respond; my mind was a storm of thoughts and emotions, all centered on Katarina, who was caught in the perilous balance between life and death.
• I felt utterly torn. My loyalty was divided between my responsibilities as an Alpha to my pack and my deep need to be by my mate's side. Hunter, my wolf, was desperate to be with Katarina, his reason slipping away with every passing moment. But I couldn’t simply abandon my duty. The threat of war loomed over us like a dark cloud, and as Alpha, it was my responsibility to minimize the impending damage as much as possible.