His words were carefully chosen, designed to stir resentment in the others. I felt it ripple across the room. I forced myself to breathe, to remain composed.
“Trust is not given lightly,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “It is earned. If I withhold, it is not out of disdain, but out of necessity. My task is to carry the burden of uncertainty until I can shape it into certainty. That is the mantle of Alpha. And if any of you think you can bear it better than I can, then speak now.”
The silence that followed was heavy. A few of them shifted in their seats, but none spoke. They knew as well as I did that none of them could do what I did. They lacked the authority, the reach, the strength.
Most importantly, an open challenge to an alpha would require a physical combat to claim the position. No
