Elder Wolfcrest, who had been just about to speak another word to Lyanna, shrunk back instantly, his shoulders sinking as his instincts screamed at him to submit.
He could see with absolute clarity that Cedric was furious, though the older man desperately tried to deny the true source of that rage.
As the supreme leader of the Nightbane Pack, Cedric had proved his terrifying strength countless times on the battlefield, and he was known across the territories to be utterly ruthless whenever his anger was provoked.
Elder Wolfcrest's subconscious mind was screaming at him that Cedric was furious because of the disrespectful way he had spoken to Lyanna.
But his stubborn pride completely refused to accept that reality. He did not want to believe for a fraction of a second that the fractured relationship between Cedric and Lyanna had suddenly improved to the point where the Alpha would publicly defend her honor against a senior council member.
