Chapter 102
Aurora's POV
The morning brought devastating news wrapped in the formal ceremony of diplomatic protocol. The Alpha King's messenger handed over Raymond's demands with the gravity of someone delivering a declaration of war.
Raymond's letter was written in the formal language of pack law, but rage burned through every carefully chosen word. He wasn't just demanding my return—he was positioning himself as the injured party in a conflict that threatened peace between territories.
"Alpha Raymond formally charges Luna Aurora with desertion, treason, and conspiracy against pack authority," the Alpha King read aloud to his assembled council. "He demands immediate extradition for trial under Blood Moon jurisdiction."
My blood ran cold. If I was extradited, I'd be completely at Raymond's mercy, with no protection from whatever "justice" Giana had planned.
The next piece of intelligence was even worse. Reports from Blood Moon territory painted a picture of escalating madness that made my stomach turn.
"Intelligence suggests Alpha Raymond has been conducting enhanced interrogations of pack members," Elder Matthews reported grimly. "He's particularly focused on gathering information about the Luna."
Enhanced interrogations. The euphemism made me sick. Raymond was torturing people who had shown me loyalty, trying to extract details about my connection with Kane.
Kane sat silent through the entire briefing, his face an unreadable mask. When our eyes met briefly, I saw something flicker—concern, maybe, or guilt—but he quickly looked away.
"How enhanced?" I asked, dreading the answer.
"Silver restraints. Wolfsbane extract. Prolonged questioning sessions that sometimes last days," Matthews replied with clinical detachment. "Several pack members have required medical intervention."
The room spun as I processed what I was hearing. People I'd known since childhood were being brutalized because of their association with me. Sarah, who had helped with pack duties. Michael, who had trained me in combat. Elena, who had been like an older sister.
During a brief recess, I slipped away to the royal archives, following cryptic directions from the warning note. Hidden among Marcus's research papers, I found encrypted communications that made my blood run cold.
The documents suggested multiple pack leaders across different territories had been compromised in ways similar to Raymond. The pattern was clear once I knew what to look for—Alphas experiencing sudden personality changes, policies that weakened pack unity, strategic decisions that made no sense unless viewed as sabotage.
Kane appeared behind me as I photographed the documents, his presence both expected and unwelcome.
"Unauthorized access to royal archives is a serious offense," he said coldly. "Following rules isn't optional, even for you."
His threatening tone sent rage coursing through me. Here was proof of a massive conspiracy, and he was worried about bureaucratic protocols.
"Rules?" I exploded, spinning to face him. "While people are dying? When did you become such a coward?"
Kane's face hardened, his military bearing becoming more pronounced. "I became someone who understands the consequences of reckless actions."
Giana's POV
I stood beside Raymond as he read another intelligence report about Aurora and Kane's asylum request. His hands shook with barely controlled rage, the pages crumpling beneath his grip.
Perfect. My months of careful manipulation were paying off exactly as I'd planned.
"She's making a mockery of our bond," Raymond snarled, his voice thick with obsession. "Flaunting her relationship with that man while wearing my mark."
I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, letting my touch soothe his agitation while feeding his paranoia. The magical conditioning had made him malleable, but his natural jealousy provided the perfect foundation for my manipulations.
"Of course you're upset," I said softly. "Any mate would be hurt by such public betrayal."
Raymond's eyes blazed with possessive fury. "I want detailed reports about their sleeping arrangements. How close are their quarters? Are they sharing a room? A bed?"
The invasive questions revealed how deeply his obsession had taken root. This wasn't professional concern anymore—it was the possessive jealousy of a man who couldn't bear the thought of "his" woman with another.
"I need to know everything," he continued, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Their private conversations. Whether they touch each other. How they look at each other."
A flicker of unease ran through me. I'd intended to make Raymond possessive enough to pursue Aurora aggressively, but his fixation was becoming genuinely disturbing. The magical conditioning was supposed to make him focused, not unstable.
"Raymond," I said carefully, "perhaps we should concentrate on the political aspects of their betrayal rather than—"
"Political?" He laughed harshly. "This is personal, Giana. She was mine. She belonged to me, and now she's letting another man touch what's mine."
The raw possessiveness in his voice made my skin crawl. I'd created a monster, and now I was beginning to wonder if I could control him.
Raymond began pacing, his agitation growing with each step. "I want surveillance reports. Detailed accounts of every interaction between them. If they're intimate, I want to know exactly how intimate."
This wasn't strategic thinking anymore. This was the obsession of a man who couldn't accept that his possession had escaped him. The magical conditioning had amplified his natural territorial instincts into something genuinely dangerous.
"I want to know if she kisses him," Raymond continued, his voice becoming more unhinged. "If she shares his bed. If she makes the same sounds with him that she made with me."
The graphic nature of his questions revealed how far his mind had deteriorated. I'd wanted him focused on Aurora as a threat, but instead I'd created a man consumed by sexual jealousy and possessive rage.
Maybe I'd pushed too hard. The conditioning was supposed to make him compliant to my suggestions, not transform him into an uncontrolled predator. But backing down now would undermine months of careful work.
"Your feelings are completely understandable," I said soothingly, stroking his arm with practiced gentleness. "She's humiliated you publicly. Any Alpha would demand justice."
Raymond's expression brightened at my validation. "Exactly. She needs to be punished for her betrayal. And he needs to understand the consequences of touching what belongs to another man."
The threatening implication in his words sent chills down my spine. I'd wanted Aurora eliminated, but Raymond's growing instability was becoming a liability. If he became too unhinged, he might draw unwanted attention to our operations.
"We need to be strategic about this," I said carefully. "The Alpha King won't hand her over unless we provide compelling evidence of wrongdoing."
"Then we'll create compelling evidence," Raymond replied with cold calculation. "I have ways of making people tell me exactly what I need to hear."
The casual reference to torture made my stomach turn. The man I'd been manipulating was becoming someone even I found disturbing. His obsession with Aurora was consuming everything else, including his basic sense of proportion.
I excused myself from his presence as quickly as possible, my mind racing with the implications of what I'd created. The Rogue King had wanted Aurora eliminated and pack leadership destabilized, but Raymond's growing instability threatened to derail our carefully laid plans.
Perhaps it was time to consider alternative strategies. Raymond was becoming more liability than asset, and obsessed men made dangerous allies.
But for now, I had to manage the monster I'd created while hoping his fixation would serve our ultimate goals. The Rogue King expected results, and failure wasn't an option.
