Cassian POV “Alpha Everston said he’ll look into it,” Zebulon’s voice crackled through the phone, calm on the surface but laced with a fatigue that came from centuries of dealing with the politics of our kind. As the head of the Alpha Council, his word was meant to inspire confidence. It didn’t. “He’s also prohibiting your men from stepping foot on his territory to question his people,” Zebulon continued, voice measured. “He insists on handling the investigation himself. My advice? Stand down for now. Wait for his report. The last thing we need is you doing something reckless we both know how Malrikarion responds to provocation.” A sigh followed, heavy and tired. The sound of someone who had long grown used to settling fires that never quite stayed out. I gripped the phone tighter, f

