Dennis held up a hand. Silence fell again. His voice was quiet, but it carried through the hall. “Enough. You will all speak to me with respect, or you will leave this room. Your fear and impatience are clouding your judgment. You do not understand the forces at work. You will understand in time.”
An elder groaned. “Every time we ask, we get the same answer: patience. But patience doesn’t stop the danger. Not here, not anywhere.”
Dennis’s eyes flicked toward him, sharp and cold. “Then remember this: your impatience may cost you everything you hold dear. You think you are protecting the pack. But without discipline, without control, you are inviting disaster.”
A heavy silence fell over the hall. The elder sank back into his chair, jaw tight. Petra folded her arms, frowning, but said noth
