CHAPTER NINETY TWO - ERIK'S PROTECTION

Vanessa stepped forward, her voice shaking slightly. "You can't do this," she protested. "We were only trying to protect our way of life!" Erik's gaze hardened. "Our way of life is not static, Vanessa. It never has been. We adapt, we evolve, or we die. You and your co-conspirators would have led us down a path to extinction." He turned to address the rest of the pack. "Let this serve as a lesson to all. Change is not to be feared, but embraced. Our strength lies not in isolation, but in our ability to adapt and form new alliances." Erik's eyes found Anna, and his expression softened slightly. "Humanity is not our enemy. They can be our greatest allies, bringing fresh perspectives and new strengths to our pack. Anna has proven this time and time again." A ripple of agreement ran through the crowd. Many of the wolves had come to respect Anna over the past months, seeing firsthand the positive changes she had helped bring about. Erik raised his voice one final time. "To those who hav