One by one, the elders began to file out. All except for Elder Isaac, who paused, his eyes locking onto Cyril with an intensity that seemed to probe the very core of his being. He stepped forward, hand gently on Cyril's shoulder to prevent him from leaving.
"Cyril, I need you to tell me the truth," Isaac said. "What's going on?"
"What's that?" Isaac asked casually.
"I am not an idiot, Cyril," Isaac said. "You and your mother may assume I am. But I read between the lines. I know when a chunk of details is being left out, when the truth is being filtered. Don't think for a second I don't see it."
"Dad, it's nothing," he said. "The alpha just doesn't know who to trust. Honestly, so do I. We're all just navigating carefully."
