POV: Ash
Two armies faced each other across the sanctuary entrance.
On the left, the peace faction wore white bands. On the right, the war faction brandished weapons.
Both wanted my children.
"This is bad," I said to Cade.
"Bad doesn't begin to cover it."
The peace faction's leader stepped forward. A vampire elder named Catherine.
"We seek only to speak with the First Ones."
The war faction's leader laughed. A massive werewolf named Blackclaw.
"You want to cage them like animals!"
"We want to protect them!"
"By locking them away? That's imprisonment!"
Marcus's voice boomed across the clearing.
"Enough! You will not fight here."
His Death-Born presence radiated outward. Both armies stepped back.
"Then let us speak to them," Catherine requested.
"They're transforming," I said. "Come back in five hours."
"We don't have five hours!" Blackclaw snarled. "The government weapon activates soon!"
"Or hide," Catherine countered. "We've prepared safe houses globally."
