Elvira I had barely settled well into the soft chair when Alpha Kale spoke again. But this time, his tone had shifted, unexpectedly light and almost casual. I had been preparing myself for an explanation, some sort of justification for what I had seen earlier with Alpha Jaxon and the woman. But instead of addressing it, he completely bypassed it, as if he hadn’t noticed the questions burging out of my eyes. “We’re coming up on the Morrien 85th Festival,” he said, his voice warm and smooth. The change in his demeanor caught me off guard, and I almost forgot about the intensity of the moment for a split second. “It’s the biggest feast of the year for most packs. Morrien is the biggest pack in history, you know that right? It’s a chance to celebrate our strength, unity, and... alliances.”