ARIA
I made it back to my old quarters before the shaking started, before the reality of what I'd just done in front of the entire Council hit me hard enough that I had to sit on the edge of the bed and remember how to breathe normally.
I'd defied the Alpha King. Publicly. In front of every Council member who mattered. Had walked out while he was still objecting and he hadn't followed and now we were having our first real crisis as mates and I had no idea how to navigate being with someone whose authority I'd just challenged in the worst possible context.
The knock came ten minutes later and I knew before opening it that Iris would be standing there with an expression that said she'd heard everything and had opinions.
"That was either the bravest thing I've ever seen or the stupidest," she said, walking in without invitation. "I haven't decided which."
"Neither have I."
