Malrik POV
Quillan was already seated when we entered the hall, which meant there was no need for drawn-out greetings or ceremonial pleasantries. The venue itself had been arranged to reflect hierarchy Twelve high-backed chairs, set apart and towering above the rest, reserved exclusively for the leaders. Beneath them, a line of simpler seats waited for the betas who had accompanied us. It was a stark reminder of where true authority lay, and who was permitted to sit in its shadow.
This was not a gathering for outsiders. Even those who had brought their lunas were forced to leave them behind either at the hotel or in the private chambers Quillan had provided. The atmosphere was tight, controlled, and deliberately exclusive.
Zebulon’s presence was no surprise. His family’s long-standing p
