GWEN
The entire hall was still buzzing after the uproar from the warrior’s outburst. I stood stiff beside Conan, my hands clasped together so tightly my fingers hurt. My heart was beating fast, but my face remained calm. It was then that an old lady stepped forward and cleared her throat, her eyes scanning the room before settling on the female warrior.
“It must be stated,” she began in a firm and steady voice, “that when a challenge is issued in the pack, not even the Alpha can interfere. It is a right that has been honoured for generations. The one being challenged has the final say in whether it proceeds or not.”
My stomach tightened as the reality of those words sank in. Everyone’s eyes turned to me, and I could see the warrior who had just called me out standing tall, waiting. Her
