He turned to his senior staff. "Assemble the delegation. I want our best strategists, our top negotiators. We go in prepared to discuss terms, but we don't show weakness. Understood?"
Nods all around.
Maya stood, wrapping her arms around herself. "And Dakota? What about finding her?"
"We keep searching," Richard said firmly. "But quietly. If that call was legitimate and she really is just taking space, broadcasting a massive pack-wide manhunt will only push her further away. We scale back the public searches and focus on discreet inquiries through her known contacts."
He looked at his daughter with an expression that mixed frustration and understanding. "Your sister has always needed to find her own way, even when it's the hard way. We'll find her, Maya. But right now, I need to make sure Kade's aggression doesn't spiral into something that gets people killed."
"I'll come with you," Maya said suddenly. "To the negotiations. I should be there."
