"What makes you think your pack is capable, Alex?" Elder Thomas's voice cut through the quiet of the chamber like a blade. His tone was calm but laced with skepticism, as if already dismissing the possibility of Alex rising to the challenge.
Alex stood in the center of the council chamber, every eye fixed on him. The chamber was grand, with its high, arching ceilings and walls covered in tapestries that told the tales of werewolves through the ages. Each thread in the intricate designs seemed to hum with the legacy of countless alphas who had stood in this very spot.
"I have every reason to believe it, Elder," Alex replied, his voice steady, though his heart pounded in his chest. "Because we understand the stakes, and we have more than just strength—we have resolve."