No...they're seriously considering it.

"Give her to Steigen?" Ludovic asked, slowly articulating his words.

Sharla nodded, "That's what I said."

"They can eat rancid meat," Ludovic spat.

Many looked at him harshly, which concerned him even more. They have grown obedient and afraid. Ludovic scanned the room, intentionally looking every one of them in the eye. "I know we exist in the body of a man most days, but we are also wolves," he said, facing the Alpha. "Theran. Don't lose your instincts."

Ludovic eyed his cousin, mentally pleading with the last bit of respect that Ludovic had for him. A part of Ludovic didn't want this to go how he feared it must, because if his cousin failed...it would force Ludovic to do what he knew he could never take back.

Lycans would die for this fated decision. Perhaps even his own kin. But if he didn't do what must be done, then what would happen to his pack? To the younglings? They'd be raised with a weakness in their hearts, one that would prevent them from defending their own kin.

Ludovic added, "We're men bred of bone, claw and pain. We do not give into Steigen. Give Steigen this, and our younglings will pay dearly for it."

Theran stood tall as the sun shone through the Lavorna, the rays catching the wispy smoke of candles. It was an elegant, peaceful setting, but the tension in the room told a different story.

"They will come for us," Oren said, taking a step towards the table as he eyed Ludovic.

Oren dropped his gaze to the table and pointed towards the lands that separated Steigen Pack and the Ingram Alliance. "All Steigen has to do is traverse those lands. No one watches them or defends them, so nothing stops them from charging through our forests. Usually the threat of war looms over such a betrayal, but Grimshaw has collected many packs and Clans, and now we have Grimshaw's Omni. It is best we give her to them.

"It will be easier to just give her away. Otherwise, all they have to do is cross the Burned Lands and they are in our soil. The mountains keep the humans out, but Steigen Pack is bred like the Old Ways. They will tear through our forests with ease. Grimshaw taking an Omni and breeding Omni children will not be the end of us, Ludovic. In our alliance, we have nearly a hundred Rubies, and five Omnis. Four if we let Cora go," Oren paused, the room silent as not even the birds fluttered up this high to sing their songs.

Only the fire and in the hearth rumbled.

Ludovic's heart raced before the Ashmore added, "Keeping her will ensure that Grimshaw decides war is in his favor, and so many will die. So many innocents, Ludovic. Don't let that happen."

Oren's dark brown eyes glinted with victory underneath his visage of concern and Ludovic glared at him.

Ludovic said, "Says the lycan that had to allow his nephew to maul a thirteen-year-old human boy. I can see why even the wind would make you nervous."

A few of the lycans snickered, and some did not.

Sharla looked at the Alpha and spoke with a honeyed voice, "It is wise, my liege, to do what you think is necessary. Even if that means giving her away. Oren makes more sense than Ludovic."

Theran looked down, considering Sharla's words. She was family by marriage, not by blood, and it was no secret that Sharla wished she was of a different Clan to serve her Alpha ways related to the heart and body.

Ludovic's mother – Valda Reiger – stepped forward and eyed her nephew. "Are you genuinely considering this, Theran?"

Theran glanced at his aunt and asked, "Would you see that we bury more ghost trees, aunt Valda?"

Valda pursed her broad lips that were encased by laugh lines, a flash of amber coloring her gray eyes. Her long, braided hair was the same ashen blonde, although more white hairs laced through compared five years ago. This will give her more white hair...and more, if we are reckless. Ludovic clenched his fist at the thought of his entire family suffering for Theran.

Valda said, "Your grandfather, my father, would detest the idea of giving an enemy pack something like Cora. It is on principle that we must keep her. If they were allies, it would be different...but this is unwise. Are you so afraid of death? We all must bloom our own ghost trees, whether we wish to live forever or not. I'd rather bloom mine now, knowing it was to uphold our honor and safeguard our pack, lest our younglings face a war we built for them."

Those words made the hairs on Ludovic's arms rise, who mentally echoed his mother's sentiment. Ghost Trees were an inevitable part of all their futures, the beautiful, haunting forests reminding the living of lycans now passed. Where humans buried their dead and marked them with carved rock, lycans set flame to their corpses and planted trees with their ashes. The trees were so named for the way their leaves gently glowed on a full moon, as if the spirits came to life for the special occasion. It was similar to a human's gravestone.

Ludovic had already planted his father's, and he didn't want to bear the thought of planting his mother's. But he agreed -- he'd rather plant his own before damning the next generation.

Theran furrowed his brow at his aunt, speaking quieter than before, "Oren proposes giving to her as a sign of alliance, not as a gift."

Rasha stood up from the fireplace, and neared the table with a clinking of her golden bracelets. All eyes moved to the aged Seer, including Valda's gaze, who ignored Theran's question.

Rasha faced Theran, her head held high. "You are young, Alpha, at only forty lunar cycles. I remember Grimshaw's father well. That is no ally that we want. I would plant my own ghost tree to prevent him from gripping us with his claws."

Theran looked around the room with wide, fastly moving eyes, speaking to the room with a slight crack in his voice, "She belongs to him. To not honor that is to declare war. Surely I am not the only one to see this."

Ludovic neared the table and nodded to the ridged area on the opposite side of the Ingram Alliance, where Steigen Pack resided. He would have to explain this plainly to the scarless, fearful Alpha.

If this failed, then so did Theran. Ludovic said, "So, tell me...what will happen when we give her to Steigen? He will go back to his lands and stay there? Never use that power against us?"

Theran glared at Ludovic, the familiar gray eyes shaking, just ever so, before looking down at the table. I can smell the uncertainty now.

The Alpha answered, "What will happen? Nothing. Grimshaw will return with what is rightfully his," he said, looking up at Ludovic. "If Grimshaw tries to come to the Ingram Alliance, with one Omni, he won't stand a chance against our four, or our Rubies."

"Visions have been seen that if we give her to him, it will bring about a great war. Our Seers have warned about dark winds rising. These are connected."

Theran smiled, his confidence returning. "Ah, yes. Only the Omni's witch thinks so."

The energy in the room changed like a wave on the ocean. Many seemed to agree, once more, with Theran. Lycans hated to hear about the meddling of witches.

Another stepped forward. It was Ludovic's Aunt Naila, his mother's sister, the one that always favored Theran. Aunt Naila was similar to Valda, although her hair was paler, her eyes a fairer gray. The red robes of a Seer made her even sallower. "I have not seen the war that the witch speaks of, nephew."

Rasha interjected, "Excuse me? I looked and saw them coming myself. What do you speak of, Naila?"

Naila nearly rolled her eyes to glance at Rasha, a smile forming on his aunt's face. "Then it is murky and not trustworthy, my dear friend. I have not seen whatever you have. Perhaps the witch has influenced your visions."

Ludovic grit his teeth and swallowed thickly, narrowing his eyes on his aunt. Over half of the room re-positioned themselves at this news. Claiming a witch influenced them was a surefire attempt at discreditation.

Valda looked at her sister with immense concern. "Surely, Naila, you do not think that giving Steigen an Omni is a good idea? Our father's tree will wilt at even the thought of this. They have a witch among them. One far more powerful than the one that came with the Omni. Our own Seers have seen Grimshaw's witch's shadow magic." She looked at Ludovic. "My son has seen the shadow. He claims it was not related to the magic from the human village."

Naila faced her sister with the same exaggerated attitude. "How do we know that it wasn't Cora's witch that used that magic? Because Ludovic says so? He knows nothing of witch's magic. Have you not considered that Cora and her witch are manipulating us solely because they dislike Grimshaw? He is a brutal Alpha, but if she is his, then using us to shield her is selfish."

That sunk further into the mind's of those attending more than any other word uttered. Murmuring spread throughout the three dozen that were present.

Ludovic growled, confused as to why his aunt was pressing do hard against this. "She is only here because one of the Ashmore's mauled her brother. From what I have heard, Cora did not come here with this intention. This is not a manipulation. Not on her end, at least."

Naila finally looked at Ludovic, her eyes not matching her usual warmth, "A selfish reaction, then. I do not blame the girl. But we cannot risk our own because she is afraid."

Ludovic quickly sucked his bottom lip to his teeth and let it go with a click. Something isn't right with Aunt Naila. Rasha had seen the same visions and Ludovic had seen the shadow. He couldn't quite explain it, but the energy of the shadaow had differed from Hilda's. It wasn't hers, and he knew that deep in his bones.

He admitted that he didn't know what was going on with the battle of the visions, but to disregard the warning so quickly made him uneasy. It was not like Naila.

He pressed on. "And what of the Alliance? They will think that we are weak, Theran. Wolves do not obey, nor respect, that kind of fragility," Ludovic said with a warning tone. "I can understand your concern, but you were not there in the caves. If we give Cora away, and the others learn of the warnings about giving her to Steigen...war comes for us no matter what we do. We can either cower or stand tall. We must act with strength, or we lose our way."

Theran snidely remarked, "Aunt Naila has already explained, cousin. She has not seen the visions, and I trust her more than those influenced by a witch. I cannot help if you do not keep up."

Ludovic threw a dark, threatening glare at Theran. "You are a coward."

Theran took a step forward, his thighs touching the table, their eye contact heating with a fight. "Say that again."

"Apparently you're deaf as well," Ludovic quipped.

"I am the Alpha of Reiger," Theran proclaimed through thin lips.

Ludovic's patience ran out, and he spoke with virulence as his blood ran hot. His instincts clawed at him to remove the weakness of the pack, especially with the way danger loomed so close to home. "That Omni is to be your Omega and you haven't even sat with her for twenty minutes, and instead you tuck your tail between your legs at the threat of a fight. I should expect no less from a scarless Alpha like you. You don't even deserve her as a mate."

Theran's eyes glowed amber, but Naila placed a hand on his shoulder, a complete lack of warmth in her eyes as she eyed Ludovic. Valda, on the other hand, stood taller at her son's word.

Oren spoke up, "It appears that Ludovic is challenging our Liege. I do not trust him to be near the Omni anymore." He was so clinical in his speech, as if he had rehearsed it a hundred times before facing Theran with a low bow. "I volunteer to watch over her, my Liege. I know I denied it at first, but I do not trust your cousin, and I trust your judgement. I will guard that judgement, and the Omni, closely, until it is time to give her to Grimshaw."

Ludovic glowered at Oren, a growl in his throat as he breathed heavier, pressing hard on the backside of his teeth with his tongue. He'd remove that one as well.

Theran waved a hand at Ludovic, capitulating once more to the easier alternative rather than taking the fight head on. "Leave then, cousin. You are relieved of your duty."

Ludovic did not move, as to do so would be to submit to this Alpha, and that was something that Ludovic could not do. He stood firm, glowering at his cousin.

"No," Ludovic said.

Theran hotly glanced around the room before saying, "Does anyone else see this blatant challenge? Remove him!"

No one moved. Not even the Talons. As of course not. It was the Alpha's responsibility to handle such challenges of his power.

Theran sneered. "Fine, then," he said, eyeing Ludovic with a wicked look. "You want to give your precious Omni a chance...let's hear what she has to say, give her a chance to defend herself. Then our decision is final." The Alpha faced Walder. "Bring me Cora. And bring her translator."

Ludovic's eyes widened. "What are you doing with her?"

Theran licked his lips and growled at Walder. "Bring me the Omni."