Chapter 70. Planning the Hybrid’s End

Lira’s POV

Stepping into the chamber of the Dreadmaw pack’s pillars, I braced myself for chaos—but to my surprise, the meeting was far more orderly than I’d anticipated. Instead of open hostility or outright dismissal, the elders actually listened as I spoke. It struck me then that this place wasn’t the savage den I’d imagined; rather, it felt like the land of the free, where reason still ruled supreme.

At last, Lyss—the softest-voiced among the teenage pillars—spoke up. “Can you convince us that you’re more valuable than Celeste?” Her question floated gently through the room, but her tone carried an unspoken challenge. Perhaps her delicate voice was part of her allure, or maybe it belied the steel within.

Draven, stroking his long white beard thoughtfully, leaned forward. “I’ve heard rumors that Celeste’s flames might rival your own,” he said. “If that’s true, she could replace me when I step down.”

I shook my head firmly. “No. Even if she has compara