Every choice from here would echo in blood and fire.
The council chamber had never felt this hostile. Every seat filled with people who'd come to judge instead of listen. Shadowpeak's Alpha sat at the head of the neutral delegation, flanked by representatives from three allied packs whose names carried serious weight.
Thorne and Vex looked grimly satisfied. Katheris stayed neutral, but her eyes tracked every movement. They'd set this up perfectly—using Gideon's stolen intel to bring crushing political pressure right when we were most vulnerable.
Through the bond, Darius stood beside me. His presence grounding. His wolf close enough to the surface that everyone could sense the barely controlled power. A reminder that political games couldn't erase the mate bond coordination that had turned impossible fights into wins.
