Chapter 13 The Shadow's First Strike

• The War Room of the Lycan Citadel was a masterclass in ancient engineering and modern magic. A massive table of translucent quartz sat in the center, projecting a three-dimensional map of the Iron Mountains and the surrounding valleys in shimmering blue light.
• Anna stood at the edge of the table, her fingers tracing the flickering line that marked the Forbidden Border. The gold-silk gown she had worn to the ball was gone, replaced by a suit of dark-gray tactical leather that moved like a second skin.
• "The scout was right," Silas said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble as he pointed to a pulsing red dot near the Eagle’s Rest outpost. "They didn't stop at the border. They’re moving with a speed that shouldn't be possible for common wolves."