The pack hall filled quickly once word spread that an emergency council meeting had been called. Warriors stood along the walls, their expressions grim. Healers clustered near the front, whispering anxiously. Families with children hovered near the exits, protective instincts already engaged.
Aria sat between her mother and Nessa at the head table, very aware of all the eyes on her. Some looked concerned. Others looked angry, though not at her, she realized, but at the situation. At the threat targeting one of their own.
Marcus was there too, against Ezra's medical advice. Still weak, still pale, but upright and alert in a chair near the council table. His presence steadied something in Aria. If her uncle could face this while barely recovered from near death, she could certainly manage sitting still while others debated her fate.
Nessa stood, and the hall fell silent immediately. The Luna's presence commanded respect without effort.
