âWhat is it?â I asked gruffly since my voice was hoarse from sleep.
Raven handed me a sealed letter. His hands shook. âItâs from the Army you encountered. The leader is requesting an audience with you and Aurora.â
Aurora appeared beside me, looking guarded.
âWhat do they want now?â The boy paused, as though picking his words with care.
âThey didnât say much but. their leader is coming here.â
Dane paced the room, frustration practically radiating off of him.
âWe shouldnât be wasting our time negotiating with wolves who donât have a right to that territory anyway,â he snapped.
I crossed my arms, leaning against the table. âAnd walking in blind into this meeting could get us straight into a trap. You havenât thought of that?
Dane stopped pacing and turned to me, his jaw tight. âWe donât have a choice, Aurora. If we donât show strength now, we risk looking weak. Theyâll exploit that.â
âIâm not saying we donât meet with them,â I said, trying to keep my tone level for what was sure to be an increasingly frustrating argument.
âIâm saying we need a plan that isnât dependent on fighting or showing strength.
Trajan, sitting near the fire, cleared his throat. âAuroraâs right. If they think thereâs a division between the two of you, it might give them courage. You have to make a united front.â
Daneâs glare relaxed a little as he exhaled. âOkay. But if they
push us, Iâm not backing off.â I looked at Trajan; silently, I begged him for patience. âWeâll go,â I said, âbut weâre doing this carefully.
We had arranged to meet the leader of the rival pack on neutral grounds near the borders, and I was there, flanked by a few chosen wolves on either side, tense as the quiet trees standing ready.
He was a lean wolf with piercing amber eyes and greeted ust with a sly smile. Beside he was a few soldiers, and there stood a female with a golden armor, standing tall among the men, one would only tell she was a female by her beauty and stature.
âAlpha Dane, Luna Aurora, I am Orion, the leader of this pack,â he said smoothly, the tone bordering on mockery. âHow kind of you to meet us.â