Sandy's POV
The stories about him had reached me long before this moment. Jackson Ezekiel, the merciless Alpha King who destroyed anyone daring to cross his path. A man whose bare hands had torn the heart from a traitor's chest before calmly sitting down to his evening meal.
Whispers claimed he had commanded his own Beta to execute his mate for daring to question his authority. The rumors multiplied endlessly, each more horrifying than those before.
Whether these tales held truth remained uncertain, but one fact was undeniable. This was the monster who had shattered Charles' existence and attempted to forge him into a blade against his adversaries.
Now he positioned himself before me, those merciless eyes studying me as though no other creature in existence deserved his attention.
My lungs filled with air as I forced my spine straight.
Appearing vulnerable was the absolute last impression I intended to make.
