Chapter 120

• Jacob’s POV
• The heavy oak doors of the council chamber closed behind me with a deep thud, echoing through the spacious, dimmu lit room. Even after all these years, stepping into this place felt like walking into a crypt—a reminder of how old and unchanging the vampire world was. The council sat in their usual places, high-backed chairs arranged in a half-circle, their faces unreadable as always. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air practically humming with the weight of centuries of politics and power.
• I glanced at Ian beside me. His face was as impassive as ever, but I knew better. He hated being here as much as I did. Hell, maybe more. Being the king meant this was his responsibility, but it didn’t mean he liked it.