In the dimly lit council chamber, shadows danced across the stone walls, and tension filled the air like a thick fog. The Blackwood elders gathered, faces etched with worry, their voices low and urgent. Each of them had felt the shift—Ethan's focus slipping, his allegiance drifting as his bond with Avery deepened.
"Something must be done," Elder Roderick said, his gaze intense as he surveyed the others. "We all see where this is headed. Ethan's choices are putting us all at risk."
Elder Miriam folded her arms, her expression one of grim acceptance. "The prophecy binds him to Avery, but it also binds us to the same fate. If he's blinded by love, then he's no longer fit to lead."
The elders exchanged wary glances, the weight of their words settling heavily between them. There was no denying it—their Alpha was changing, and not in a way that served the pack's interests.
