Chapter 173

Bianca

The night pressed heavy against the windows, the smell of blood still clinging to the air.

I had seen my brother lose his temper before. I had seen him command wars, destroy rivals, crush rebellions with nothing but words.

But I had never seen him like this, empty, wild, no reason left behind his eyes.

The Darius I had known, the one who once dreamed of restoring balance between packs, was gone.

What stood in his place was something colder.

Something that had already decided it would rather burn than bend.

Something who now did not know what remorse was, what humanity was… he had shut it off completely…

I walked quickly through the corridor, my shoes silent on the marble. The house had gone still after the killings; even the guards avoided meeting my gaze. I didn’t blame them. The walls themselves seemed to hold their breath now, terrified of what he might do next.

I reached my quarters, locking the door behind me.