Chapter 93
Ethan's POV
Chloe stood in the center of the Alpha Council chamber, flanked by two warriors, her head held high despite the chains around her wrists. Even now, stripped of her advantage and surrounded by judgment, her defiance hadn’t faltered.
My wolf bristled as I took my seat, Olivia at my side. Her presence was a steadying force, even as my instincts screamed to protect her, to shield her from the venom Chloe was about to spew.
Alpha Kelvin’s voice echoed through the chamber, firm and unyielding. “Chloe, you stand accused of conspiracy, Rogue collaboration, and an attempted coup against this Council. The evidence against you is substantial, but you will be given the opportunity to respond.”
Chloe’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Respond? To a sham trial orchestrated by a pack of cowards who couldn’t see the truth if it clawed them in the face?”
My fists clenched, and I had to force myself to stay seated. Chloe’s arrogance knew no bounds, but today wasn’t about losing control. It was about ensuring justice.
Before Kelvin could respond, Amelia’s cousin Caleb, a Rogue who had been captured when they attacked Thorne Ridge, stepped forward. His movements were hesitant, his eyes darting nervously around the room. “I… I have something to say,” he stammered.
Kelvin nodded, his expression neutral. “Proceed.”
Caleb shifted uncomfortably but straightened his posture. “Chloe recruited us. She promised us a place, a home, if we helped her take down Ethan and Olivia. She said the Council was weak, that we’d be stronger with her in charge.”
His voice wavered but gained strength as he continued. “She lied. She used us. We were nothing more than tools to her.”
A murmur rippled through the chamber, the truth of the testimony undeniable after the attack she just called.
Chloe’s smirk faltered, her eyes narrowing at the Rogue like a predator sizing up its prey.
Derek raised a hand, silencing the room. “Do you deny these claims, Chloe?”
She lifted her chin, her voice sharp. “The words of a Rogue mean nothing. You’d all do well to remember that.”
But the damage was done. The Alpha Council members exchanged glances, their thin trust in Chloe crumbling with every passing second.
Then, Aiden was brought in, his body broken, his spirit barely holding on. He stumbled as the guards dragged him forward, his eyes dull but flickering with desperation.
“Ethan,” he rasped, his voice hoarse. “You… you have to see reason. I was misled. Manipulated. You know what it’s like to be cast aside, to fight for scraps. I just… I wanted a place.”
I stood, my wolf growling low in my chest. “You wanted power, Aiden. You endangered Olivia, our Packs, and this Council. You made your choices.”
He turned to Olivia, his expression crumbling into a pathetic plea. “Please… Luna. You have the power to forgive. To give me a chance to prove myself.”
Olivia didn’t waver. She stood, her presence commanding the room as she held up a device. “This recording says otherwise.”
She played Aiden’s damning words back a second time, his plans to take Thorne Ridge, Stone Haven, and even Jasper Pack, his voice dripping with entitlement and cruelty.
The chamber fell silent as the recording ended. Derek spoke first, his tone cold. “Aiden, you are hereby banished as a Rogue. You are no longer welcome in any Pack territory.”
The vote was unanimous.
As the guards hauled Aiden away, Chloe’s composure shattered. Her screams of defiance echoed through the chamber, but they were drowned out by the Council’s decision: she was formally stripped of her title and authority, her power broken.
The chamber doors closed behind her, and I turned to Olivia. Her gaze met mine, steady and unyielding. For the first time in weeks, I felt the weight on my shoulders ease. Together, we’d faced the storm.
And won.
The Council chamber was unnervingly quiet, as I stood beside Olivia, her calm presence grounding me as my wolf stirred restlessly within.
This was the moment we’d fought for, sacrificed for. Now, it was within reach…if only the Council saw reason.
Derek rose from his seat at the head of the chamber, his movements measured. For a man who had ruled with such commanding authority, his shoulders seemed heavier than usual, his eyes shadowed.
The years of leading Jasper Pack and managing the Council’s politics had worn on him, though he’d never admitted it.
“Today marks a turning point for this Council,” Derek began, his voice resonating through the room. He glanced around, meeting the eyes of each Alpha seated before him. “We’ve faced division, betrayal, and an attack that sought to dismantle everything we stand for. And yet, we’re still here.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the chamber, subdued but present.
Derek’s gaze flickered to me, and I straightened instinctively. “Ethan,” he said, his voice sharp yet carrying an undercurrent of something I couldn’t quite place.
“You’ve proven yourself in ways I never anticipated. Strength, strategy, and the ability to unite those around you. But more than that, you’ve shown a willingness to fight for what matters” your Pack, your Mate, and this Council.”
My wolf quieted at his words, the rare praise from my father settling in my chest, soothing an old wound.
“I have led Jasper Pack and served this Council for decades,” Derek continued, his tone steady but heavy with finality. “But the time has come for new leadership. Effective immediately, I resign relinquish my seat on this Council to focus on rebuilding Jasper Pack.”
The room erupted into murmurs of shock, the surprise of Derek’s announcement palpable. He held up a hand, silencing the chatter.
“Leadership isn’t about clinging to power. It’s about knowing when to step aside for the greater good.” His eyes locked onto mine. “Ethan Blackford, I name you as my successor, Alpha of Jasper Pack. When the time comes.”
The air seemed to shift, the collective gaze of the Council now firmly on me. My wolf surged with pride, the acknowledgment of what we’d worked so hard to achieve coursing through me like fire.
I stepped forward, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside. “I accept, and I vow to honor this position with the strength and integrity it demands.”
Derek nodded, his expression unreadable, and then turned to the Council. “The vote for leadership is before us. You’ve seen the evidence, witnessed the trials we’ve endured. The time has come to choose.”
Alpha Kelvin was the first to rise. “Alpha Ethan has my vote. He’s shown leadership and resilience, and with Olivia by his side, I believe in their vision.”
One by one, the Alphas voiced their votes, the tide overwhelmingly in our favor. By the time the final vote was cast, the decision was clear: Olivia and I had earned their trust and the mantle of leadership.
Olivia’s hand slipped into mine, her warmth anchoring me as the Council chamber filled with applause. I turned to her, the pride in her eyes mirrored in my own. Together, we’d fought for this, and together, we’ll lead.
As Derek stepped down, his expression softened for the briefest of moments. “Welcome to the Council. Don’t waste this opportunity,” he said quietly, his words meant for me alone.
“I won’t,” I replied, my voice firm with resolve.
The chamber quieted once more, and as I stood at the head of the room with Olivia beside me, the path forward had never been clearer.
I beamed down at my Mate with pride for what we’d endured. My smile split from ear to ear. Olivia grinned back up at me with the same pride I could feel through our bond.
Until she collapsed, unconscious in my arms.
