POV: Elara
The council chambers were colder than usual, the air thick with unspoken tension. The fires that usually warmed the space burned low, their light casting long shadows across the weathered table where generations of Alphas had stood to lead. Now it was my turn, but the wolves seated around me seemed intent on reminding me how precarious my position was.
Osric sat at his usual place, his face carved from stone. Beside him, Celia’s gaze flicked between me and the others, a rare uncertainty softening her usually steady demeanor. Across from her sat Geth, leaning forward with barely concealed impatience, while Mara watched me from the far corner, her expression unreadable but her presence heavy with judgment.
I took my seat at the head of the table, feeling their eyes on me. Their
