The summit was held at the Cascades territorial lodge — a large, deliberately neutral space that had hosted territorial negotiations for generations. Stone walls. High windows. Long tables arranged in a formation that was meant to suggest equality among attending packs but which, in practice, reflected exactly the political hierarchy of whoever had organized the seating.
Cole had studied the floor plan on the drive.
He had a seating assignment within thirty seconds of walking through the door.
The morning session was already underway when we arrived — the territorial reports, three Alphas presenting in sequence, the room attentive with the particular focus of people who are listening for what is relevant to their own position. The arrival of the Shadowmere delegation was registered thro
