Chapter 24

Seraphine’s POV

I drew the woolen hood over my sleek black hair as I passed beneath the towering ebony gates of the Supreme Council. A single, steady breath of crisp air filled my lungs, dispelling the tightness that had curled in my chest ever since we set out. At my side strode Alpha Draven of the Winter Howl Pack. He offered me a brief nod, and together we crossed the threshold into the great hall.

Pushing open the vast onyx doors of the Supreme Court, I was struck by a wave of nostalgia—and sorrow. It reminded me painfully of the Crystal Fortress, the place of my childhood that now lay in ruins. All around, familiar faces filled the chamber: every ranked member of the Council, drawn from the myriad supernatural lineages of North Central. Witches and vampires, Fae and werewolves, even a few shape-shifters I barely recognized—they’d all answered the urgent summons.

We progressed toward the central dais, a broad mound anchored in the heart of the court and