Eli's POV
"She's a ticking bomb!" Orion Silverclaw slammed his fist on the table, making cups jump and drop. "Every second that child lives, we all risk destruction!"
Twenty pack leaders sat in the Blackwood meeting hall, fighting for hours since dawn. Outside, hundreds of wolves from different areas paced and growled, divided into angry groups.
As Asher's tester, I stood beside his empty chair. He and Maya had refused to attend, staying home to protect Luna.
"Watch your mouth," I growled at Orion. "That's my Alpha's daughter you're talking about."
"That's the Ancient One's vessel," corrected a small, worried Alpha from the east. "You all heard what happened at the naming event. That thing inside her will kill us all when it fully awakens."
Victor Nightshade, looking decades older since losing his piece, spoke up. "Luna is still just a child. There must be another way besides... what some of you are saying."
