The council chamber had never felt small to Mira before; it felt small now. The room had been carved from stone generations ago, circular in design, with tiered seating that rose toward a domed ceiling. Torches lined the walls, and the scent of smoke mixed with old cedar and wool. Banners bearing the Silverfang crest hung between stone pillars, their fabric heavy and unmoving; every seat was filled.
The Warriors stood along the perimeter. Elders occupied the inner ring; pack members who rarely attended council sessions had gathered today because rumours had spread faster than a formal summons. Mira stood near the centre of the chamber beside Ryker, but she did not stand behind him, and that had been deliberate; he had not objected.
The air hummed with restrained anticipation; conversatio
