Chapter 61 Challenges And Choices

• The Great Assembly was barely halfway through, but the tension in the hall felt as dense as fog. Faces I knew, faces I’d grown up with, looked at me with a mix of skepticism and, if I were honest, thinly veiled distrust. It stung, but I had to remind myself that this was part of leading. They weren’t doubting me for lack of loyalty, but for fear—fear of change, fear of history repeating itself, fear of the unknown.
• One elder in particular—Malcolm—stood out from the rest. He had been respected in our pack for years, one of the few who had known my parents. He was sharp and observant, but his loyalty had always been somewhat conditional, grounded more in tradition than any personal faith in me. And now, as he rose to his feet, I could feel a chill spread through the hall.
• “Amelia,” he began, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a weight that commanded everyone’s attention. “I’ve listened to what you’ve said, I’ve watched you take your place here, and I don’t doubt your courage or your strength.” He paused, and I sensed the question forming before he even spoke it. “But what right do you have to lead us?”