#Chapter 69: Wanting More

Logan I hadn’t meant to be late. The security meeting had dragged—something about border smuggling and a merchant with counterfeit tech licenses—and by the time I stepped out onto the terrace overlooking the courtyard, the press event was already in full swing. And Emily was already speaking. I paused in the shadow of the stone archway, one hand resting lightly against the pillar, and let myself watch her. She stood at the center of the raised platform with nothing but a simple folder in one hand and a microphone in the other. No script. No teleprompter. Just her voice. Calm. Steady. Effortlessly in command. “The reforms are not only fiscally sound, they’re a moral imperative,” she was saying. “If Titanfang wants to lead the modern Packs, we need to act like it. That means legacy doesn’t get to be a shortcut to power anymore.” A ripple of reaction moved through the crowd: small applause, approving nods. Even the nobles on the edge of the circle were paying attention. I