Later that night, as captains of the movement had informed Rafael, one by one, members of the pack started trooping in through the gate for the recall.
Raphael had retired to his study, lost in a labyrinth of thoughts. The weight of his impending decision pressed heavily upon him. He had recently visited the Lycan council and was admonished by Baja to take up the role of the alpha, leading the pack and also as the Lycan king, leading his clan, a responsibility he feared would only gather more enemies. The thought gnawed at him, pulling him deeper into the depths of uncertainty.
As he sat in his study, surrounded by books of which he picked none to read, the door creaked open. Quinn, Nico, and Terry entered silently, their eyes filled with a mix of reverence and expectation.
Quinn took
