35: A STEP AHEAD

The celebration in Border Town was short-lived as pressing matters weighed heavily on our minds. As night fell and the townsfolk began to retreat to their homes, my inner circle and I gathered in the council chamber to discuss the invitation from Alpha Jo.

Captain Hyde, Karim, Zaza, and the other members of our group sat around the large wooden table. The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, adding to the somber mood.

"We can't ignore this invitation," I began, breaking the silence. "Alpha Jo has summoned all the Alphas to Nashville to discuss the bandit threat. We need to decide how to respond."

Zaza was the first to voice her concerns. "Ava, we have to consider the possibility that this is a trap. We've already learned that the bandits are receiving orders from Nashville. If we walk into this meeting unprepared, we could be walking into a dangerous situation."

“Come on Zee, I can take care of myself,” I said not knowing how it came out of my mouth.

“I don’t want