The palace air was thick with tension. Kaelin stood at the edge of the war room, watching with wary eyes as the new envoy from the Eclipse Pack, a tall, angular Beta named Veyric, unfurled a blood-red scroll across the strategy table. Maps of contested borders lay scattered beneath it. The room quieted as the crimson seal broke with a loud snap.
Theron remained beside her, unreadable, one hand resting casually on his hip, the other curled into a subtle fist. Only Kaelin noticed the tightness in his shoulders. Their bond had grown deeper over the past weeks—wordless looks often said more than entire conversations.
Veyric’s voice was low and smooth. "The Eclipse Pack offers a treaty. We recognize your recent victories... and we seek peace."
Peace. The word was spoken like a blade sheathed
