Once again, the murmurs began, but this time they were more than just hearsay. They were overcome with dread, wrath, and rage. Doubt had been sown by Alec's reappearance, and it was now growing and consuming Lucien's pack like a poison.
The first thing I noticed was how cautious and distrustful everyone looked at one another. Warriors who had previously battled together were now avoiding each other, their trust eroding. Once alive with laughter and discussion, the pack hall was now tense and silent. People spoke in whispers and kept to themselves, as if they were worried that their comments might be misunderstood and used against them.
So did Lucien. With a ghostly appearance, he moved through the corridors, his shoulders stiff and his eyes keen as he observed every face and every hushed exchange. Alec's influence was growing more quickly than any of us could keep up with, even while I knew he was struggling to keep the pack together.
