"That was not Aria's leadership, neither. That represented instinct.
Luca walked in front of me, his voice piercing the quiet of the pack house, his tone keen but not cruel. I tightened my hands, the weight of his comments squarely falling on my shoulders.
My voice quivering with irritation, I continued, "I saved us." What then counts? The "
He fired back, pausing to face me, saying, "What counts is what occurs next. You made a choice in the heat of the moment and it worked. But you need more than instinct if you are going to lead this group. You need a plan. Control:
"I'm trying," I said, the words empty even as I uttered them.
Luca's eyes softened, but his face remained austere. I am aware. These days, however, effort is insufficient. The group counts on you to be more.
