The encrypted message from Lord Silas glowed ominously on the terminal. Elara stepped up behind Lucian, clutching his tailored jacket around her bare shoulders. She read the glowing text, her human heart sinking, but the Luna inside her bristled with pure, unadulterated fury.
"A Presentation," Lucian grunted, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the heavy mahogany desk. "It’s an ancient Council rite. They want to inspect him. To determine if a half-human pup is an abomination that needs to be purged, or a weapon they can leash."
"They aren't touching him," Elara said, her voice dropping to a lethal, icy whisper. "They aren't even breathing the same air as him."
Lucian spun around, his amber eyes swirling with violent, protective panic. "I should reject the summons. I sho
