The dining hall had never held so many bodies, so many voices, so much life. Long tables stretched the length of the room, packed shoulder to shoulder with wolves, lycans, vampires, and allies whose bloodlines traced back to realms most had never heard of until weeks ago. The air hummed with conversation—introductions being made, hands clasped across cultural divides, names repeated and committed to memory.
"You must be Marcus's brother—I've heard so much about you."
"This is my cousin from the northern territories, she arrived yesterday—"
"Wait, you're the one who held the eastern flank during the siege?"
Children darted between the tables, too young to understand the weight of the gathering but old enough to sense its importance. The elderly sat in places of honor near the head table
