Night settled over the Summit Grounds like a thick blanket of smoke. The floodlights that ringed the forest perimeter flickered in and out as the power grid strained under the load of hundreds of wolves gathering, preparing, whispering. Patrols doubled. Guards wore reinforced tactical gear. Every pack sensed the tension after the chaos inside the hall earlier.
Talon and I walked through the courtyard after the emergency meeting had been dismissed. Moonlight stretched across the stone path, casting long pale shadows behind us. Ryn and Kael walked ahead, scanning rooftops and walkways. Soren and Jace took the rear. No one trusted the silence. It felt stretched thin. Pulled too tight. Ready to snap.
We passed the training arena, now empty, lights dimmed. The wind carried the scent of burned
