The air inside the war council chamber was thick and filled with tension. Aveline stood in the center, her hands turned into fists, the flashing torchlight displaying harsh shadows across her face. Around her, the assembled warriors and leaders from both packs whispered among themselves, confusion and unease circulating through their ranks. They looked at her with half-gazes as they whispered among themselves about the child and the new fragile alignment that existed between both the Council loyalist and the regular pack members.
Cassian stood at the head of the chamber table, his sharp eyes were checking around the large hall and filled with purpose. "The time for half-truths and deception is over," he declared, his voice slicing through the murmurs like a blade. "Gabriel has lied to us all. He has aligned and stayed with Aveline's pack for far too much "