Chapter 109
FAYE
Every elder, every council member shifted uneasily in their chairs. Alexander let the silence stretch for a heartbeat longer, then spoke again. “As much as this discussion is
important…your concerns, your arguments…I believe it is only fair that you all see something first. Before we go any further p>
My brows furrowed. I glanced at him, but he didn’t look at me. His eyes were locked on the council, sharp and unreadable. He gave the slightest nod to Cole, who was standing near the side of the chamber like a shadow waiting for command.
Cole moved immediately, pulling a small remote from his pocket. With a click, the screen at the far end of the room came to life, the projector humming as light washed over the wall. A moment later, images sharpened into a video.
At first, I thought it was nothing more than the forest–trees, a clearing lit by the moon. But
then I saw them as it zoomed in.
Gerald. And Maya.
My breath hitched.
The video wasn’t grainy or blurred. It was crystal clear, sharp enough that the firelight of the torches glowed on their faces. Even their voices carried cleanly, echoing through the chamber as though they were standing among us now.
My stomach dropped. The video continued to role and I could barely process all the words coming out…but I grasped a few.
“Alexander is weak. Weak! An Alpha who doesn’t even deserve the title. How can he still stand by her side after everything. After what we put in motion? It wasn’t enough that he let her out of the dungeon and dragged his feet on the trial, now he lets her walk freely p>
Gerald really had Maya spying for him. Alexander was right after all.
“She’s supposed to be a prisoner. A traitor. An enemy inside the walls of that pack house. And yet… ” Gerald added in the video.
Gasps broke out around the table. I felt every eye shift toward me, then toward Gerald, then back again. My pulse raced, but my legs were rooted to the ground.
1/4
Claim This didn’t prove my innocence, it only showed that Gerald was using his daughter as spy. Also, he had insulted the Alpha, I briefly wondered if there was a punishment for that. The video played on. “I told you this might not work,” Maya’s voice trembled slightly. “Planting the ring in Faye’s purse might have fooled the pack, but not Alexander…. As long as he’s standing by her p> My blood turned to ice. I pressed a hand against the table to steady myself…it all felt like a dream. I didn’t know how to react. The video cut him off only because his voice overlapped with Maya’s desperate attempt to calm him. But it was too late. The council had already heard every damning word. Gasps, murmurs, and low growls echoed around me. Some elders shook their heads in disbelief, others looked like they might leap to their feet. My own hands trembled at my sides, but not out of fear for myself. It was anger. Anger at the betrayal. Anger at the hatred in Gerald’s voice, at how easily he had schemed to ruin me. I turned to look at Gerald. His face had gone pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. He looked like he wanted the ground to open and swallow him whole. His eyes darted around the room, panicked, wild, like a trapped animal. “Turn it off!” he barked suddenly, his voice rising. He stood, pointing a trembling finger at Cole. “Turn it off right now p> Cole didn’t so much as blink. His arms stayed folded. He didn’t even grace Gerald with a glance. The video continued rolling, Gerald’s words echoing louder than the silence of the room itself. When the video stopped, the silence that followed was deafening. No one moved. No one breathed. Gerald’s panic flared into desperation. He slammed his hand against the table. “Yes, I said it!” he shouted. “Yes, I called him weak, because he is! He’s blinded by this outsider, this Silver Hollow wolf who doesn’t belong here. Everything I’ve done has been for the pack, to save us from disaster p> My gaze flicked to Alexander. He wasn’t smirking anymore. The calm mask he wore, that faint amusement at the corners of his lips…it was gone. 2/4 Claim Gerald continued with his meltdown. “Alexander was never fit to be Alpha of Blood Crescent. He lets this filthy wolf girl in as Luna, that says a lot about him. I had to do something,” Gerald said, loudly. Alexander’s expression was harder than I had ever seen. His jaw tightened, his shoulders squared. And his eyes… For the first time since I had known him, his eyes scared me. They weren’t normal, and they weren’t even the wild, glowing gold that signaled his wolf’s dominance. They were red. Completely… The sight of it froze me where I stood. My lungs squeezed tight, my chest aching with the sudden rush of fear…not for myself, but for Gerald. Alexander’s wolf was close… And whatever lived inside him in that moment looked far more dangerous than I had ever imagined. Gerald saw it too. His bravado ceased instantly. He stumbled back a step, then another, his face blanching, his hands trembling. His lips quivered, but no sound came out. He looked like he might crumble right there on the council floor. The others noticed as well. I heard the rustle of movement, the sharp intakes of breath. The room knew what it meant, and the tension was unbearable. She of them stood up and hurried out of the room. I was lost, but I knew there was no time to ask questions. I swallowed hard and forced myself to move. My steps were steady even though my knees felt weak. “Cole,” I said, my eyes never leaving Alexander’s face. “Get Gerald out of here p> Cole didn’t hesitate. He snapped his fingers, and immediately, guards materialized from the shadows of the chamber. They moved swiftly, grabbing Gerald by the arms despite his feeble protests. “You can’t…let me go! I’m an elder of this pack p> His words were cut off as he was dragged toward the doors. His shouts grew weaker. The chamber was silent again. Silent, except for the sound of my own heartbeat. I turned back to Alexander. He hadn’t moved. He was still sitting, his body taut, every muscle wound tight. But his eyes… those crimson eyes lingered, raw with something that felt abnormal. 3/4 Map 109 Claim I had never been afraid of Alexander, even when he was angry at me. Never. But in that moment, I felt something close to fear, because this wasn’t anger, it was rage. I drew in a breath and stepped closer. Slowly, carefully, as though approaching a wolf ready. to strike. “Alexander,” I whispered. No response. His chest rose and fell heavily, each breath labored. I reached out and laid my hand against his chest. His heart thudded beneath my palm, rapid and unsteady. “Alexander,” I repeated, softer this time, my thumb brushing lightly against the fabric of his shirt. For a long, heavy moment, he didn’t move. His jaw clenched, his hands tightened against the arms of his chair. But then…finally…he shut his eyes. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding beneath my touch. He held it for a second, then released it slowly, as though forcing the fire out of his lungs. When his eyes opened again, they flickered…crimson to gold, then back to crimson, before finally settling on gold. I blinked, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me. But I knew what I had seen. They were still furious, still storming with barely–contained anger, but they were his eyes again. I exhaled, realizing I’d been holding my breath all along. Comments Get Bonus (Ad) > Vote 815 4/4