The council chamber was located deep inside the oldest building at the lumber mill — a stone-and-timber hall that smelled of aged wood, smoke, and power. Sunlight barely reached through the narrow windows, leaving most of the room bathed in cool shadow. A long oak table dominated the center, where five elders sat with stern, unreadable faces.
Elena felt their eyes on her the moment she and Luke stepped inside. She kept her chin high and stayed close to Luke’s side, his large hand resting possessively at the small of her back. The jacket he had given her hid the faint love bites on her neck, but she knew the elders could probably scent what had happened between them anyway.
Maya stood near the back wall, arms crossed, her expression carefully neutral. A few younger pack members lingered a
