"True power is not in the roar, but in the hand that can soothe it."
The aftermath of Vayne's furious, realm-shaking roar settled over the command room like a heavy, charged blanket. The initial psychic shockwave, a brutal declaration of the Alpha King's displeasure at being outmanoeuvred, had been absolute, reminding every soul in the Keep exactly who held the Law. Elias, predictably, was the only one entirely unconcerned. After his brazen display of Omega dominance, he simply smiled, gave us all a look that implied 'See? I told you he was a drama queen,' and walked out the door, ready to meet the source of the chaos head-on.
I pushed myself up, shaking off the residual psychic dust. The crisis had been contained, the immediate threats neutralized, but the King's return meant the period of quiet strategy was abruptly over. We needed to present a united, efficient front, proving that his absence had not led to collapse, but to effective, necessary action.
