Lorraine's POV
A bounty.
On my head.
My ears rang. My vision blurred. The words repeated, again and again, slamming into my skull like iron hammers.
A bounty on her head.
A bounty on her head.
My death.… as a reward.
And not just by order..... but as a sport. A twisted, sanctioned blood game. And I was the prey.
A quiet murmur spread through the hall. I could feel it, curiosity, approval, even excitement
My fingers twitched.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to laugh.
Because this wasn't justice.
This was theater.
"An interesting suggestion," the Alpha King mused, breaking the charged silence. His tone was amused now, light even, as if Astrid had offered him a new wine instead of an immediate execution
He looked down at me, and I met his eyes, even as fear roared like wildfire in my blood.
"Let the beasts play with their food," he said finally. "Let them tear each other apart. That is the law of nature. And nature," he added, sneering now, "does not spare the weak."
