POV: Lyra

The great hall was silent.

I sat on the throne with the crown of the High Alpha on my head and the silver banners hanging above me and the weight of every pack in the known territories pressing down on my shoulders. The fire burned low in the hearth and the shadows danced on the walls and the only sound was the wind outside the windows.

Jaden stood at my right.

Becca stood at my left.

Selene stood behind me with a scroll in her hands and a look on her face that was serious and steady.

"The reports are in," she said. "The packs have returned to...