The Alpha simply held their gaze a moment longer,as if sealing something unspoken,before his attention shifted with quiet authority settling back into the room like a weight that didn’t need to be announced.
It was the woman beside him who stepped forward.
Up close, her presence softened; warm and bright in a way that felt almost disarming against the sharp tension that filled the hall.
Her lips curved into an easy, genuine smile, and for a fleeting second, she looked less like a figure of power and more like someone welcoming guests into her home.
“Well,” she said lightly, her tone cheerful, almost playful, “this feels far too formal for a first meeting.”
Her green eyes landed on Phaeryl with open interest.
“I’m Mira.”
The introduction was simple,friendly, and certainly deliberate.
