ALPHA ELAXDOR DOWNHILL
The carriage's wheels creaked and groaned, the rhythmic thud echoing through the air as we rode through the rolling countryside. I shifted slightly in my seat, adjusting my grip on the worn leather cane resting beside me.
As the lush emerald fields and golden sunlight blurred outside the window, my thoughts remained shrouded in darkness. I relaxed my head against the carriage's velvet cushion, letting out a low sigh.
My mind wandered back to Adara, my late second mate. Her pure wolf lineage from the Lupus Verus Park had promised a formidable alliance and a worthy heir. But fate had other plans.
"But what did I get?" I muttered, recoiling at the sound of my gritting teeth. My eyes narrowed, recalling the disappointment that gripped me when Adara died, leaving me with a half-shifter daughter instead of a strong, pure-blooded son.
