Devon James
I stood at the podium, a thousand eyes pinned to my every move, the weight of nations on my shoulders. And not one of them, not one, could hear the wolf pacing beneath my skin.
The cameras were live. The air was thick. The silence... electric.
Then I began.
“My fellow Astrians… and to those watching beyond our borders… let me speak plainly.”
My voice echoed off the high-arched ceiling of the Presidential Press Hall, measured, unwavering, deliberate.
“There’s been speculation in recent days. Whispers that seek to drown truth in the noise of fear. Leaked footage. Edited fabrications. Baseless rumours claiming I am… unwell. That I am not who I was. That I am..” dead, my mind filled in, “not fit to lead.”
I paused, letting the words settle. The air pulsed with tension.
“I w
