John shifted in his seat, grunting softly as he leaned forward, forearms braced on his knees. "Alpha," he said. "I love your reason. Truly. Its noble. That kind of thinking—concern for the people—that's rare."
He paused, choosing his words with care. "But sometimes, leadership means choosing the lesser evil."
Eric's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Right now," John continued, "it may look like you are the bigger evil—excuse my choice of words—because people fear what you carry. The shadow wolf. But tomorrow? There may be something worse. Someone worse."
John went on, quieter now. "If you remove yourself entirely, if you end the line without proper arrangements, you may be leaving your people defenseless."
"You're saying I should stay dangerous… just in case something more dangerous shows up."
