Evans' POV
The council hall's air was oppressively heavy. A cacophony of voices rang out against the stone walls, piercing and relentless. The bloodstains that had not yet been removed from the flooring following Alpha Chris's passing blended with the smell of dread and anxiety. I stood in the middle of it all, their eyes piercing me like knives, and my skin prickled.
With his grizzled visage contorted in suspicion, Elder Vaughn hissed, "The attacks began after she returned." "Death followed the instant she returned to this pack."
The assembled council members were surrounded by murmurs of agreement, with some nodding and others talking to one another. I took a deep breath and forced myself to remain upright in spite of the pressure of their charges. My nails bit into my palms as I
