The Hidden Captive

Maverick’s POV

The screech of a silver knife dragging across a porcelain plate set my teeth on edge. I stared at the bleeding chunk of rare beef on my dish, willing my riled wolf to settle down beneath my skin. The royal dining hall was vast, draped in heavy velvet and gold, yet the suffocating tension made the air feel thin.

Tessa leaned across the heavy mahogany table. Her cloying floral perf