Chapter 205

Elvira POV

I woke before dawn, the chill of the early morning seeping through the thin silk of my nightgown. Even in sleep, the night had left a residue of unease clinging to me, and I couldn’t shake it. Today, I knew, would bring truths I wasn’t entirely prepared to face, but I had to. For the pack, for Jaxon, and for myself.

Jaxon stirred beside me, still asleep, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. It was such a long day yesterday for the both of us. I traced the line of his jaw with my eyes, letting the warmth of him ground me. He’d been my anchor through everything, the betrayals, the battles, the endless games of power and deception. And yet, even with him, today felt heavier.

The sun hadn’t yet breached the horizon when I dressed in muted leather and wool, keeping to the shadows of the corridor as I descended the tower. The main gath