chapter 170

“The road that led us here was not easy,” he says, his gruff voice booming over the silent crowd. “For years, we watched the witches get closer. Get bolder. For years, they prowled our lands and picked off our loved ones like they were hunting for sport. But no more!” He stops for a moment, his expression darkening. “No. More,” he repeats. “We’ve been on the defense for long enough. Now we’re taking the fight to the witches. It’s their turn to pay for their attacks against us!”

The pack cheer

s again, and then it’s Trystan’s turn to speak. He crosses his arms and gazes out over the gathered shifters with a stony face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so stern, and the effect is startling. But then the expression melts away as he flashes a grin and booms, “Pack family. Today, we win!”

Then he throws back his head and howls. It’s such a fucking Trystan thing to do that all I can do is laugh. Then I join in, as does the rest of the crowd.

A bunch of shifters howling at the sky in th