Draven.
I let the silence stretch a breath longer before I spoke, my voice deep and cutting through the hall.
"Look around you," I ordered. "See if there is anyone missing in our midst tonight."
The wolves obeyed without hesitation, heads turning, eyes sweeping the circles, murmurs low as they scanned the faces among them. After a moment, the quiet returned—no gaps, no absences.
I slowly exhaled through my nose. 'So. Brackham really took my words seriously. He has not laid another hand on my people again."
I let my gaze sweep the room, meeting the eyes of a few before continuing. "Tell me, how many of you watched Mayor Brackham's address on the news this morning?"
Hands rose, not all, but enough for me to count. Their eyes flickered with uncertainty, waiting for me to confirm what they had only suspected.
"That so-called 'operation' wasn't against any syndicate," I said flatly. "It was an attack on the vampires. His lies were meant for the humans, not for us."
