~Annalyn POV~
The kitchen smelled of coffee and burnt toast as I sat at the table, the Visaya alpha's challenge letter glaring up at me like a bad report card. Lucas had forwarded it to everyone, and now we were all here—him, Calix, Matteo, and Ezra—picking at breakfast while my heat made the air feel like a sauna. The letter demanded I surrender myself to stop a war, and my wolf was snarling at the idea.
"No way I'm handing myself over," I said, slamming my mug down. "They think I'm some prize? Screw that."
Lucas nodded, his jaw tight. "Good. We're not giving them shit. But we need a plan."
Calix leaned back, smirking. "How about we send them a letter back? 'Dear assholes, come get her and die.'"
I snorted, despite the tension. "Tempting, but we need something smarter."
Matteo stirred his coffee, frowning. "They're baiting us. War's a distraction. They want you out of the picture so the shadow council can finish whatever they're planning."
