The silence seemed to stretch on.
"In my opinion," Maelor's deep voice echoed through the hall. "Our pride has taken us this far, but it won't protect us from a sorcerer's magic. We're facing something worse than war. If the witches can help, ignoring them would be unwise. Members of the council, darkness is upon us."
He then leaned forward, bracing his hands against the table.
"We stand at a turning point," he added. "We can cling to old grudges and die clinging, or we can adapt as your king said, as our forebears once did when the world shifted beneath them. This is no longer about honor, nor even about vengeance. It is about survival."
Many of the council members nodded in approval.
"Wise words king Maelor," Thornak said. "So then, do we agree to invite the witches into Lycan lands?"
A hush lingered until Alpha Veyra leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "We need them."
