Aria's POV
With the Council's reorganization finally complete, I thought the difficult part was over.
I was wrong.
The next battle did not involve claws, fangs, or blood. It involved words, trust, and a room filled with wolves who had spent generations believing that vampires could never be anything except enemies.
I stood before the new Council with my proposal resting on the table in front of me. Damon sat several seats away, his attention fixed on me. Noah was on the opposite side of the chamber, equally silent, watching the councilors closely.
Lydia stirred inside me. They are already preparing to fight you.
I glanced around the chamber. She was right. Several councilors were already whispering among themselves, their expressions hardening as they read the proposal.
The Council
