Chapter 55

Emily’s POV

The courtyard was packed. The visiting Alphas hadn't left our territory yet—they wanted answers. They stood in a tight, tense circle near the main administrative building, right in front of the central steps.

And in the dead center of it all stood Nathan and Stella.

My steps slowed. My inner wolf, Nyx, let out a low, uneasy whine. Something was… off. Nathan stood perfectly straight, his shoulders squared, his expression calm.

Stella stood right beside him. Not behind him like a pack member, or to the side like a guest. Beside him. Like she already owned the space. Her hand rested lightly on his forearm. It looked casual, but I saw the way her fingers curled. It was possessive.

“The situation is under control,” Nathan announced. His voice was strong and steady, like the voice of a future Alpha King. “My borders are safe.”

“Is that so?” Alpha Thorne, a gray-haired man with scars on his face, stepped forward. “Did you find th