The council room remained heavy with thought, the low murmur of shifting papers and the soft scratching of claws against polished oak the only sounds for a long moment. Outside, the storm continued its relentless assault on the windows, rain lashing like silver-tipped arrows. Within, a different kind of storm had settled, one of cold strategy, quiet determination, and the bitter taste of hard choices.
Richard rose from his seat, the full weight of his alpha presence filling the chamber like a dominant wolf claiming the center of the den. "We have our direction," he said, voice firm and resonant, carrying an authority that left no room for doubt or dissent. "Maya will be prepared, trained, and briefed on every subtlety of her role. Our sons will be positioned for strong alliances through blood bonds. Silver Ridge will no longer remain reactive. We will act, but we will act with precision. Every move calculated, every risk measured under the moon."
