Coalition of Outcasts

XENOIS "Can be both," I said. "So here's what I'm thinking for next steps. You reach out to the alphas you think might be receptive—Chen, Rodriguez, whoever else you trust. Feel them out about a regional summit, but frame it as information sharing rather than asking for commitment. Meanwhile, I'll make contact with the leadership in Shadow City, see if they're open to formal recognition and coordination." "And the nightwalkers?" Lumina asked. "We interrogate the one we have more aggressively," I said. "Find out what they know about their organization's structure and plans. And we share that information with every alpha who'll listen, proof that this threat is real and immediate." "What about your Elder Council?" Zade asked. "Are they going to let you do any of this?" I felt my jaw tighten. That was the real question, wasn't it? I was alpha, which meant I had significant authority over pack decisions. But the Elder Council represented tradition, wisdom, and—most importantly—the collecti