"Enough," Tobias rumbles, nodding approvingly like he's enjoying watching everyone bark at each other. "Lira is an excellent choice. A Luna candidate worthy of her lineage. I, for one, am proud of Amias's decision."
The silence that follows is deafening.
Darien blinks. Tobias never interrupts Ines. Ever. Even wolves have the sense not to bite the hand that raises their heir. Not to mention he did it to praise Amias.
Hold up… did the man just say he's proud of Amias?
Ines's jaw tightens. She doesn't speak, but Darien can see the muscles flex in her neck, the faint tremor in her fingers as she sets her cup down.
Clarissa smiles, victorious. "You see, Ines? The Alpha agrees."
Kairos mutters in Darien's head, "And the fool thinks he's scored a victory. This is going to explode."
Amias, the supposed victor, looks anything but triumphant. He sits perfectly still, eyes unfocused, as though he's only half-hearing the conversation around him.
