Lucian
"Is noted."
My voice cut across Maureen's with the particular quiet that ended things. Not loud. Not aggressive. Just final in the way that certain tones were final when they came from certain people in certain positions.
Maureen stopped speaking.
His mouth closed with whatever came after majority with the practiced composure of a man who had been interrupted before and knew how to absorb it without losing his footing.
His smile remained though adusted slightly. I turned to face the circle fully.
"The vote is recorded," I said. My voice carried across the grounds without effort, reaching every wolf standing in that circle clearly and completely. "The pack has spoken and that result stands."
A murmur of satisfaction moved through the section of wolves who had stepped forward.
"However."
The murmur stopped.
