The evening had settled over the pack house like a heavy blanket. I sat in my quarters, watching the last traces of daylight fade from the sky through the window. The council meeting had ended hours ago, but the tension still hung in the air like smoke. No agreement had been reached. Another meeting was scheduled for tomorrow morning. But I would not be here for that.
A knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. I crossed to open it. A guard stood in the doorway.
"The representative has requested a private meeting with you," he said. "I am to escort you to his quarters."
I nodded and followed him through the corridors. The pack house was quieter now, the bustle of the day replaced by the stillness of evening. Guards stood at their posts, their eyes following me as I passed. I kept my
