Chapter 73

The second day of the Council session began with what Gabriel called "informal consultations"—which actually meant a series of carefully orchestrated political meetings where various Alphas attempted to assess Arianna's potential as an ally, threat, or irrelevant minor player in continental politics.

Alpha Yuki from the Eastern Territories requested a private meeting first, which Duncan said was a positive sign. They met in one of the smaller conference rooms, just the two Alphas with their primary advisors.

Yuki was elegant and precise, probably in her late forties, with the kind of sharp intelligence that missed nothing. "I wanted to speak with you directly, away from the performative politics...