The next day,

Author

The Central Council Chamber was a masterpiece of arrogance. Gold-leafed pillars rose to a vaulted ceiling painted with the victories of the previous Alpha Kings, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive tobacco and the stifling heat of artificial sunlight.

At the center of the mahogany table sat Crown Prince Julian, his fingers drummed a rhythmic, impatient beat against the polished wood.

The meeting had been dragging on for three hours. Alphas from the twelve Central Packs were arguing over maritime trade routes and the ever-present threat of Northern expansion.

To Julian, it was all white noise. He leaned back in his ornate...