Eight Cubs, Mighty Lords of the City

Eight years ago, Alessia Bellamy was betrayed by her family, losing both the man she loved and the place she called home. Cast into the Outlands, she built a new life through intelligence, resolve, and a gift for navigating rival powers. Along the way, she became a mother to children who shared none of her blood—but held all of her heart. When her former family returns and threatens those children, Alessia refuses to yield. As the conspiracy behind her exile unravels, a reckoning begins, exposing buried betrayals and shifting the balance of power. Those who abandoned her finally beg for forgiveness. But Alessia has already found her family—and no longer needs their acceptance.