Norman's POV The air in the council chamber was thick with tension, the scent of old wood and anticipation hanging heavy in the air. Around the massive oak table sat the council of warriors, their faces grim, etched with the weight of the news I was about to deliver. The attack on HornSide. The outlanders had struck a brazen assault on our borderlands. That was what Chadwick had told me. Nate had sent an urgent email pleading for help. I stood at the head of the table, the weight of my crown—not yet officially placed, but promised—bearing down on me. The rhythmic tap of my fingers against the polished wood was the only sound for a moment, a contrast to the rising unease in the room. "Alpha Nate of HornSide pack sent an urgent message. The outlanders have breached the defenses at HornSi

