#Chapter 145: Cracks in the Foundation

The cleanup and rebuilding of Blood Moon territory should've been straightforward. Check what's broken. Fix what matters most. Figure out what we need. Keep going. But nothing felt straightforward when Raymond and I couldn't agree on our territory's future. Three days after the feast, we had our first real fight. "We're building those walls higher this time," Raymond said, stabbing his finger at the blueprints scattered across our meeting table. "Thicker stone, better watchtowers, guards who can actually see what's coming." I studied the proposals with growing unease. The designs showed walls that would tower over the previous barriers, creating an imposing fortress that would change the entire character of our territory. "This'll make us look like we're expecting war," I said. "Is that what we want everyone thinking?" "Maybe that's exactly what they need to think," Raymond shot back, using that Alpha tone that meant the discussion was over. "We've just survived a coordinated