Lucas strode into the dimly lit conference room like a storm wrapped in human skin; raw power, barely contained fury, and the distinct impression that if anyone so much as breathed wrong, they’d find themselves missing a few teeth. Kade followed close behind but wisely stopped at the entrance, adopting the stance of a silent observer.
The council mbers sat before him. Two of them, Elder Malrik and Elder Thalric, bore the creased faces of n who had seen decades of war, diplomacy, and power struggles. The third, Vaelin, was younger, eager, and was the only one of them stupid enough to think he had the audacity to challenge Lucas.
Lucas didn’t sit. Sitting implied conversation. Sitting implied patience. And patience was a luxury he wasn’t willing to extend tonight. Instead, he stood, feet planted, arms crossed, his blue eyes cold as steel.
"This better be important," he growled. His voice carried the weight of soone who wasn’t in the mood for bureaucracy.
Elder Malrik stood, "We apologize for the impromptu eting, Alpha. However, we received a ssage from the High Council that there have been... rumors."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Rumors?" He already hated this conversation. "What kind of rumors?"
Malrik hesitated but pressed on. "That you have chosen a Luna."
Irritation clawed at him. Of course, the Crimson pack had began yapping as soon as they could.
"And?" Lucas asked, voice low and dangerous.
Malrik cleared his throat. "As you know, all prospective Lunas must be introduced to the High Council."
Lucas exhaled sharply through his nose. "I know that." He narrowed his eyes. "I’m just wondering why we needed an entire eting for this?"
Thalric, the quieter of the elders, finally spoke. "Because, Alpha, you have not inford us of a Luna yet, and we thought it best to be proactive in the matter."
Lucas let out a slow, deliberate chuckle, one that had no humor in it whatsoever. He tilted his head slightly. "Proactive?" He repeated, letting the word roll off his tongue.
Vaelin, the young and stupid one, leaned forward. "Yes, Alpha. You never seek our counsel in anything you do."
Lucas’ jaw clenched. "Seek your counsel?" He let the words hang in the air before taking a slow, nacing step toward them. "Why would I do that? Your counsel ans nothing to ."
He took another step, his eyes darkening. "Not since this sa council encouraged my brother to rebel against . Did you think I forgot?" His voice was silk over steel, wrapping around the room.
None of the elders dared to et his gaze except Vaelin, who, unfortunately for him, was still suffering from an apparent case of verbal diarrhea. "Alpha, we have a right to approve or disapprove of a Luna on behalf of the pack."
Lucas blinked. Then he blinked again.
Vaelin, to his credit, didn’t falter under the sheer incredulousness radiating from the Alpha.
Lucas’ eye twitched. This was not the day for this. Not when Ava was barely clinging to life. He had planned for pushback, for the inevitable whining from the council about formalities, but today? Today, of all days, they had the nerve to push this?
He turned his full attention to Vaelin, his stance shifting slightly, almost as if he were calculating the precise mont he would rip the man’s throat out.
"Is that so, Vaelin?" Lucas said, his voice deceptively calm.
Vaelin swallowed but, for reasons unknown, kept going. "Yes, Alpha. We speak for the pack. We need to know who the Luna is before any official recognition can be given."
Lucas sighed dramatically. "And you all thought, in your infinite wisdom, that the best ti to bring this up was when one of my concubines is on her deathbed?"
Vaelin scoffed. "It’s just a concubine. This is a rather grave matter."
"Just a concubine?" he echoed.
There was a fraction of a second where Vaelin might have realized he had made a grave mistake.
In one blink, Lucas was across the room. In the next, he was nose-to-nose with Vaelin,the blue in his eyes gone and replaced by gold burning with fury. His voice ca out layered, as if Manic, his wolf, was speaking with him.
"I don’t recall asking for your fucking opinion on who matters to ," he rumbled.
Vaelin held his ground. "You cannot harm a council mber," he said, though his voice wasn’t as steady as before.
Lucas chuckled, low and nacing. "Oh? I can’t?" He turned his head slightly, looking toward the other two elders. "Are you deliberately setting him up to die?"
Thalric, who had been silent up until now, sighed and finally spoke. "We apologize for Vaelin’s lack of tact, but we do need to know who the Luna is going to be."
Lucas exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing his anger back into its cage. "So you can do what?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.
Thalric squared his shoulders. "So we can deem her worthy."
Lucas stared at him. Then he burst into laughter. A wicked, full-bodied laugh that echoed through the room.
"Really? Are you questioning my judgnt?"
"No, Alpha," Malrik said, stepping in before things could escalate further. "It is just the way things are done."
Lucas’ expression twisted into sothing predatory. "Here’s how this is going to work," he said. "When I am ready to introduce her to you, you will find out along with the rest of the pack."
"Alpha..."
Vaelin stood up again, an edge to his voice.
Lucas moved before anyone could blink. One second, he was standing calmly; the next, he had Vaelin by the throat, lifting him off the ground.
"I dare you to test , Vaelin," he hissed, his voice layered with Manic’s growl. "I dare you."
"Alpha!"
Kade’s voice cut through the tension.
Lucas barely turned his head, his grip still tight.
Kade took a cautious step forward. "It’s Ava... she’s awake."
Lucas fingers slackened, and Vaelin fell to the floor, gasping.
Lucas didn’t spare him another glance. His body moved on pure instinct. With one final backhanded blow just because he could he sent Vaelin crashing against the far wall before breezing out of the room.
His feet barely touched the ground as he raced toward the woman who held his leash. Relief swept through him, stronger than any rage, stronger than any council.
Ava was awake. And that was the only thing that mattered.
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