I met her gaze, my voice steady.
“You did that to yourself, Selene.”
Lucian’s voice roared through the rising chaos. “This alliance is broken. Wolfshade tainted it. I'm afraid war is the only answer.”
The warriors of both packs bristled, their growls rising to a roar. The weight of Lucian’s words hit me like a punch to the gut. This wasn’t just about Selene anymore—it was about all of us.
The war had begun, and chaos swirled around us like a storm. Selene’s eyes locked on mine, full of fury and malice. I could see it in the way her muscles tensed, the way her lips curled back to bare her fangs. And then she shifted—her werewolf from towering over me as she charged, claws extended and aimed right at me.
I raised my arms instinctively, heart racing, trying to defend myself without striking back. My mind screamed at me not to hurt her—not with the baby growing inside her. I don't want to hurt an innocent unborn child. My chest tightened with fear, not for myself, but for what it would mean if I fought back.