Chapter 58 The Lost Heir

• The cold evening air pressed against my skin, sharp and unforgiving as I paced in front of the small cabin where we’d placed the so-called heir. The entire pack was in turmoil, whispers swirling about a lost prince, a supposed heir who could somehow stake a claim that I’d fought so hard to establish. The idea was absurd, but the sting of betrayal lingered in my chest. After everything we’d been through, after everything I’d sacrificed, did they truly think anyone with the right bloodline could be more fit to lead than me?
• I could barely believe the elders had suggested it themselves. For all their declarations of loyalty, it took nothing more than the appearance of a young man—no more than a boy, truly—for them to question me. To believe that because he was male, he somehow held a natural claim to the throne that I’d given my soul to defend. I clenched my fists, feeling the energy pulse through me, raw and potent, ready to erupt.
• “Amelia,” Blue’s voice broke through my fury, gentle but steady, grounding me just enough to take a breath. He placed a calming hand on my shoulder. “Take a moment. Remember why we’re here.”