The council chamber did not empty after Toren’s challenge. Instead, the tension in the stone hall grew so strong that it was difficult to breathe; some warriors stood close to Toren, while others stayed close to Ryker. The elders talked quietly to each other, and their conversations had a clear smell of planning.
Mira stood where the guards had left her, just a few steps behind Ryker. She watched the fracture spreading through Silverfang with growing clarity as the pack, which had once moved like a single body, now shifted like separate limbs pulling in different directions.
Ryker remained at the center of the circle, tall and unmoving, and Toren stood across from him with several warriors behind his shoulders. The challenge lingered in the air, awaiting acceptance or denial. Elder Garri
