Dustin POV
The war hall emptied slowly.
Not because the warriors lacked urgency.
But because the weight of Dustin’s words had settled over them like a storm cloud.
Bloodstone prepares for war.
Those words weren’t spoken lightly.
Not in a pack that had spent generations maintaining balance across the surrounding territories.
Dustin remained at the stone map table long after the last warrior filed out.
The torches lining the walls flickered quietly, casting long shadows across the carved relief of the surrounding mountains and forests.
Crystal hadn’t moved either.
Her hand rested lightly on the edge of the map, fingers tracing the ridgeline that marked the northern border of Bloodstone lands.
Bree stirred beneath her skin.
Restless.
Concerned.
Dustin could feel Maverick pacing
