The Gathering of the Elders

The sun barely crested the horizon when Evelyn's father, Viktor Blackwood, knocked gently on her door. The sound was firm yet unhurried, a call that spoke of the serious day ahead. Evelyn stirred from her bed, groggy but alert, knowing today marked the beginning of something she wished could have been avoided.

"Evelyn," Viktor's voice came through the door, calm but laced with urgency. "The meeting is today. Get ready and come down for breakfast. We need to leave soon."

Evelyn's heart thudded in her chest. The significance of this gathering weighed heavily on her mind. The thought of her family, including her father and grandfather, sitting alongside representatives from the six other werewolf families in the city sent a chill down her spine. Tensions were already running high after recent events, and this meeting could be a tipping point.