Chapter 81
Chapter 81
ARIA
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The council chamber felt oppressively warm despite the cool morning air filtering through the windows. I sat beside Kael at the head table, Nina on his other side, with the pack elders arranged in a semicircle before us. We’d called this emergency meeting the moment the scouts returned from their surveillance mission to Blackwood territory.
The lead scout-a wiry man named Thomas who specialized in reconnaissance-stood before us with the kind of exhausted posture that suggested he’d traveled through the night to bring us his findings. His clothes were dusty from the road, his face lined with fatigue, but his eyes were sharp and alert.
“Report,” Kael commanded, his Alpha authority filling the room.
Thomas straightened, launching into his account. “We reached Blackwood territory three days
ago
and established surveillance positions as instructed. We were careful to avoid detection, using cover identities when necessary to gather information from locals p>
“And?” Kael prompted when Thomas paused.
“Luna Sera maintains complete denial of any involvement in attacks against Shadowmere Pack,” Thomas said. “When questioned—indirectly, through conversations we orchestrated with her advisors and council members-she claims to have no knowledge of rogue activity targeting your territory. Her official position is that Blackwood Pack is focused entirely on internal matters p>
“Internal matters?” Nina asked sharply.
“Specifically, finding a way to free Alpha Damon from what she calls his ‘unfair.
imprisonment,” Thomas continued. “Luna Sera is apparently convinced that her mate was not at fault for the incident during your bonding ceremony. She believes the council’s verdict was unjust and politically motivated p>
Through our bond, I felt Kael’s fury ignite like a match to kindling. His hands clenched on the table, his jaw tight.
“Of course she does,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet. “Because taking responsibility would require acknowledging that her mate is unstable and dangerous p>
“There’s more,” Thomas said, and something in his tone made everyone in the chamber lean
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forward slightly. “You instructed me to not just question but to observe. To watch for signs of covert activity that Sera might be coordinating while publicly denying involvement p>
“And?” Kael’s voice had gone even quieter, which somehow made it more threatening.
“There is definitely planning happening,” Thomas confirmed. “I couldn’t get close enough to Sera herself-she’s well protected and suspicious of strangers-but I spent time in the local tavern. Posed as a traveling merchant passing through. And in taverns, Alpha Kael, people talk p>
He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. “There’s a plan being discussed. Not openly, but in whispers between pack members who’ve had a few drinks too many. A plan to ‘eliminate the problem that started everything. To ‘deal with the healer who tricked their Alpha p>
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. I felt ice settle in my stomach even as Nina’s sharp intake of breath echoed my own reaction.
“They’re targeting Ivory,” Nina said, her voice tight with controlled fury. “Specifically targeting her p>
“That’s the impression I got,” Thomas confirmed. “The sentiment seems to be that if Ivory hadn’t interfered during the bonding ceremony, if she hadn’t misled Alpha Damon about the location and timing, he wouldn’t be imprisoned now. Whether he’d won or lost his challenge for Luna Aria, he would have returned home afterward. But Ivory’s actions-in their view- directly resulted in his imprisonment p>
“Their view is wrong,” Kael said flatly. “Damon’s own actions resulted in his imprisonment. His decision to attack during a sacred ceremony, his assault on Ivory, his violation of pack law- those are what put him in that cell. Not Ivory’s completely justified attempt to protect her pack p>
“I understand that, Alpha,” Thomas said carefully. “But Blackwood Pack sees it differently. They see Ivory as the obstacle that prevented their Alpha from exercising what they believe were his rights. And there’s a faction-a significant one-that wants revenge for what they perceive as her interference p>
Kael stood abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. He paced to the window, his shoulders rigid with tension.
“This is unacceptable,” he said, his voice carrying that Alpha command that made even the elders sit up straighter. “Sera can deny official involvement all she wants, but if members of her pack are actively planning to harm one of mine, she bears responsibility. Either she’s sanctioning these plans or she’s lost control of her own pack. Neither option is acceptable p>
“The question is what we do about it,” Elder Morrison said from his seat. “We can’t retaliate based on tavern gossip and overheard whispers. We need concrete proof that Sera is behind
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the rogue attacks and these threats against Ivory p>
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“What we can do,” Kael said, turning from the window, “is protect our pack member. Immediately. Thomas, gather Marcus and assemble a security detail. I want guards assigned to Ivory around the clock. She doesn’t leave the pack house without escort. She doesn’t work in the herb gardens alone. She doesn’t go anywhere that we can’t guarantee her safety p>
“And when she protests?” Nina asked quietly. “Because you know she will. Ivory won’t accept living under constant surveillance. She’ll argue that she refuses to live in fear, that she has work to do, that she can’t function as a healer if she’s constantly being shadowed by guards p>
“Then she’ll have to adjust,” Kael said firmly. “I’m not asking for her permission, Nina. I’m issuing an order as her Alpha. Ivory is a valuable member of this pack, and now that we know she’s being specifically targeted, I won’t take chances with her safety p>
“You should also restrict her movements,” Elder Chen suggested. “Forbid her from leaving Shadowmere territory entirely until this threat is resolved. The herb gardens are one thing- we can secure those. But if she decides to travel for supplies or research, if she leaves our borders, we can’t protect her p>
I watched Kael’s face as he considered this. Saw the conflict there—the desire to keep Ivory safe warring with the knowledge that she would hate these restrictions. That they would feel like imprisonment to someone who valued her independence as much as Ivory did.
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Mark