= Mikael =
“This council is not accustomed to surprises, Alpha Mikael,” Elder Rowan said again, his tone smooth, measured, yet carrying a subtle edge of unease. There was a restlessness in him whenever Amara was present—a barely concealed flicker of irritation that betrayed the control he fought to maintain. Good. Let him feel it. Let him know that not everything could be neatly ordered or predicted.
“Yet here you are,” he continued, leaning forward slightly, the weight of his gaze pressing down like a physical force. “Defying protocol. Placing someone…outside of our standard expectations, directly into our proceedings. I will not deny the boldness of it.”
The word lingered in the air between us, heavy, deliberate. I let it settle, savoring the way it sounded, the slight tension it carr
