The Price of Leverage
The message arrived before dawn.
Seven names.
Seven hostages.
All from Iron Claw's border village.
Not warriors.
Not ranked wolves.
Families.
The Council had chosen carefully.
Darius stood in the war chamber, fists braced against stone, eyes burning gold beneath barely restrained control.
"They touched civilians."
His voice wasn't loud.
It was worse.
It was steady.
Lucien stood across from him, equally rigid.
"They want you unbalanced."
"They already succeeded."
Aurelia stepped into the chamber.
Silence followed her.
The air itself seemed to adjust when she entered now. Not dominance. Not intimidation.
Presence.
"Tell me everything," she said calmly.
Darius exhaled once through his nose.
"Council enforcers crossed at dusk. Used sanctioned authority to claim 'protective custody.' No bloodshed. No resistance."
