Before I could get past my shock, the entire atmosphere of the room shifted again.
Alpha Black had entered.
The air grew still. Straight backs, lowered heads. It was a ripple of silent respect, fear, and attention all at once.
He stepped to the center of the room, standing tall, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes swept across the hall, meeting every gaze before landing, briefly, on mine.
Then he spoke.
“You’ve all seen me spare an intruder,” he said, voice calm but commanding. “A stranger. One who crossed into our lands without permission. You wonder why.”
He paused.
“I know many of you are asking yourselves what I’m planning. Why I let her live.”
My breath caught.
“I’m here to tell you now,” he continued, “that as of this moment, Selene is no longer to be seen as an outsider
