“So tell me, Bolton. What did she do that I didn’t?” Bolton’s voice cuts through the tension like lightning. “Because you are selfish. Because you are ruthless. And because you bully anyone who threatens your fantasy of a crown you were never meant to wear.” Cassie’s face flickers—anger, disbelief, something wounded she doesn’t want anyone to see. He doesn’t stop. “Leadership isn’t about power. It’s about loyalty. It’s about putting the pack above yourself. And you’ve never done that. Not once.”
