Chapter 91
Olivia's POV
My heart pounded with anticipation as I stepped into the Alpha Council chamber beside Ethan. The murmur of voices hushed as we took our seats, the full weight of the Council’s gaze on us.
I couldn’t help but notice the way everyone’s eyes flicked toward me, as if they were waiting for something to happen.
Chloe sat across from us nest to Aiden, her eyes cold, calculating, and full of disdain. She wasn’t hiding her intentions anymore, and I could feel it: she was smug as if she’d already won.
As the meeting was called to order, Chloe wasted no time launching into her attack, her voice ringing out with carefully chosen words meant to sow more doubt.
“Do you really think this alliance between Storm Haven and Thorne Ridge is built on something solid?” Chloe’s words were aimed directly at me. “We have no assurances that she is loyal to Alpha Ethan and the Packs. And how can we trust his leadership when he hasn’t even completed the bond his so-called Mate?”
I felt my body tense as Chloe’s insinuations hung in the air, but I wasn’t going to let her tear us down without a fight. My anger flared, but I pushed aside the nerves, steadying myself.
Ethan’s hand found mine under the table, his grip firm and reassuring. I could feel the bond between us, unspoken but undeniable. The truth of our connection pulsed through me, my heartbeat in sync with his.
But Chloe didn’t know that. Very few did. We had completed the bond – Fated Mates, second chance mates, our connection stronger than anything Chloe could understand.
I turned my gaze to her, my voice steady, but my words cut through the room like a knife.
“You question my loyalty, Chloe? I’ve proven it time and time again. As for Ethan’s strength, we both know what he’s capable of. His strength and loyalty are unmatched.”
Her eyes flickered with irritation, but she pressed on, undeterred. “Loyalty to what, exactly? To a Pack that is only united because of political maneuvering?”
I could feel Ethan’s tension rising beside me, but he didn’t speak. I knew he was waiting for me, letting me take the lead. The strength of our bond made me feel surer of myself than I ever had before.
“Loyalty to what is right,” I said, my voice firm and unwavering. “To build something not on fear or manipulation, but on trust and respect. I am here because I believe in this Pack, and I believe in my Alpha Mate. This is not a fleeting alliance; it is a union of two Packs destined to rise together.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes, and for a moment, I could feel the jealousy and anger radiating off her. She wasn’t done yet, but I had said my piece. The room had quieted, and the silence stretched on, everyone waiting for the next move.
Chloe stood, her voice dripping with disdain. “Olivia’s not the savior you all think she is. She’s been manipulating Ethan – and Derek – using her so-called empathy to twist decisions, steering them towards her personal agenda. She’s been using that power to control him and, by extension, all of you.”
The room grew silent, all eyes on me.
Chloe continued, pointing an accusatory finger in my direction. “She claims to be loyal, but her ambition to control the Packs and take Ethan’s position speaks for itself. You can’t trust someone who’s willing to manipulate emotions for power.”
Ethan’s hand tightened around mine, and I felt his calm in my bones, his unwavering belief in us. In that moment, everything else faded away – Chloe’s words, the doubts, the fears.
All that remained was the emotions swirling around the room.
I felt a quiet certainty settle over me.
And I turned my attention – and my empathy – to the Alpha Council.
For once the emotions didn’t threaten to crush me. Instead, it focused me, sharpening my senses.
I had prepared for this, but the reality of standing before the most powerful Alphas was a different thing altogether. Ethan’s hand was firmly pressed against mine under the table, our bond pulsing quietly between us, taking some of the emotional flood.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. Chloe was staring at me, her usual composure cracked by the glee of her accusation. Her eyes were cold, but I could feel the edge of desperation behind them. She thought she knew what was coming.
“You want to question my loyalty and strength,” I said, my voice clear and steady, cutting through the tense silence. “But let’s talk about your own manipulations, Chloe. Let’s talk about the truth.”
The room fell even quieter, and I felt the subtle hum of curiosity run through the gathered Alphas.
I nodded to Marlus, who had been sitting beside me, his lips quirked up with satisfaction. He passed me a small device, and I held it up for the room to see.
“This is a recording I’ve been given access to,” I said, my eyes meeting Chloe’s briefly before focusing on the Council. “It’s of Aiden, admitting to his plans to undermine the leadership of our Packs by using Chloe’s Rogue alliances. It shows just how far Chloe is willing to go to gain power over everything.”
I pressed play, and the sound of Aiden’s voice filled the room. His bitterness was palpable as he spoke about using Rogues to attack us, how he’d planned to use Chloe’s connections to divide our Packs. Exposing her actions for all to hear.
Chloe’s face went ashen as the recording played, her composure slipping, but she quickly masked it, her eyes narrowing. She opened her mouth to speak, but I held up a hand, silencing her.
“I’m not done,” I said. “This isn’t the only evidence we have.”
I gestured to Marlus to bring forward the documents, and he passed them to me. I spread them across the table, revealing the hard evidence of Chloe’s secret dealings with Matthew: documents linking her to Rogues, the financial support she’d been funneling to Aiden’s cause.
She had played both sides, and here was proof.
“These documents show how Chloe has been bribing Rogues, using Matthew as her pawn,” I said, my voice growing louder now. “This isn’t about leadership; it’s about control. And this is the truth of it.”
I squeezed Ethan’s hand for strength before I stood and leveled my gaze at each Alpha in turn. Bracing myself for my next move.
“As for Chloe’s accusation about emotional manipulation... I don’t need to be an empath to see that Alpha Hawes is filled with guilt and Alpha Rylan is clouded by obsession. Not to mention Alpha Gideon’s greed. All of which Chloe has manipulated to get her son a seat among you when he couldn’t do it himself.”
The tension in the room was palpable now. Chloe’s allies, previously solid in their support, shifted uncomfortably in their seats. I could feel their unease, and I knew the tide was turning.
Some of them exchanged quick glances, as if questioning everything they thought they knew about Chloe.
Then, as if to add final weight to the situation, Kelvin stood, his tall form casting a long shadow over the table. His voice, low but powerful, broke the silence.
“Enough of this.” Kelvin’s gaze swept across the Council, then settled on Chloe. “Chloe, these revelations are too much. You’ve played both sides, lied to us all, and tried to tear apart the very foundation we’ve built. I denounce your actions in front of this Council.”
The words landed like a hammer. I could see the shock ripple through the room. Chloe’s face tightened in anger, but it was too late. Kelvin had spoken, and with his words, others began to stand, aligning themselves with Ethan and me.
“I second that motion,” came an unexpected voice. “Chloe’s actions have endangered us all. It’s time for her to be removed from any position of power.”
A ripple of shock murmured through the room at Derek’s denouncement of his wife.
One by one, the remaining Alphas rose, their support for Chloe crumbling like sand through fingers.
I felt a sense of relief washing over me. We had done it. We had exposed the truth.
The room was still as Chloe’s face turned a deep shade of red, her fury evident. But no amount of anger or manipulation could change the momentum now.
“This Council,” I said, my voice steady, “cannot let Aiden – an obvious pawn on Chloe’s – join its ranks.
Chloe’s lips curled into a cold, defiant smile. “You underestimate me, Olivia.”
With a sharp nod toward the doors, Rogues burst into the chamber. Shouts filled the air, and our warriors moved to defend.
Chloe stood tall amidst the uproar, her eyes gleaming with triumph.
