And I suggest you consider whether the alliance you risk turning down is one that others would leap at.
Darius' words rang in Serena's head, it was as clear as a bell. Her spine stiffened despite herself. Those words weren't just for Riven, they were for everyone in the room. A line had been drawn, one no wolf could ignore.
Serena didn't need a soothsayer to tell her what came next.
She would be called upon soon. Not just as a warm body to fill a seat or someone to oversee social niceties. No, she would be expected to step into her full role, Ambassador of Crimsonclaw, a daughter of the Eastern war-blooded wolves, carved and polished by tradition and struggle. She was no longer merely an outsider bearing witness to Ironshade's revival. She would be a piece on the board.
Serena squeezed her hands together under the table, fingers curling into her palms until they ached. She exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
