Chapter 107

ASHER

The hum of the city below filtered through the windows of the penthouse as I stared at my laptop, lost in the never-ending tide of reports and files that required my attention. Jax sat across from me, typing away, while Knox paced, clearly restless from being cooped up inside for too long. We had been working through the latest updates on Black Enterprise’s transition, delegating more responsibilities to the new managing directors. The upcoming vote loomed over us, but things were moving in the right direction.

At least, until my phone buzzed with a call.

I glanced at the screen, recognizing the number. Alpha Declan, one of the strongest supporters of our claim to the throne. It was rare for him to call directly, so I answered immediately.

“Asher Black,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

“Asher, it’s Declan,” came the gruff voice on the other end. “We’ve got a problem.”

My grip on the phone tightened instinctively. “What kind of problem?”

“It’s Mark,” he growled, barely concealing his irritation. “That bastard’s been stirring the pot, contacting every alpha he can. He claims he’s got information about your mate—Isabella—that’ll discredit you and your brothers. Word is, he’s organizing a meeting behind your backs at his pack.”

I felt the blood rush to my head, a surge of protectiveness hitting me like a freight train. Discredit Isabella? He didn’t know what he was messing with. “What kind of information is he claiming to have?”

Declan hesitated. “He hasn’t said outright, but from what I’ve heard, it’s personal. He’s trying to sway those on the fence about the monarchy by painting her as a liability. Thought you should know before it escalates.”

I thanked Declan and hung up, my mind already spinning with possibilities. Mark had always been a problem, a constant thorn in our side. But to go after Isabella? That was a low I hadn’t anticipated, and it set my blood boiling.

Jax must’ve sensed the shift in my mood because he stopped typing and shot me a questioning look. “What’s wrong?”

I took a deep breath before answering, knowing this was the last thing any of us needed right now. “Mark’s been spreading rumors. Apparently, he’s got some ‘information’ about Isabella that he thinks will discredit us.”

Knox, who had been pacing, stopped mid-stride, his fists clenching at his sides. “He’s going after Isabella? What kind of information?”

“He didn’t specify,” I replied, keeping my voice level even though my emotions were anything but. “But Declan says Mark’s organizing a meeting at his pack with the other alphas. Behind our backs.”

Jax cursed under his breath, his face darkening. “That coward. He knows he can’t come at us directly, so he’s trying to turn the alphas against us through her.”

Knox crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed with frustration. “We should’ve expected this from Mark. He’s always looking for a weak point, but going after Isabella...”

“Exactly,” I said, my tone hard. “He’s hoping we’ll react emotionally and make a mistake. But we won’t.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Jax asked, already on edge.

“We attend the meeting,” I said firmly. “Uninvited. If Mark thinks he can orchestrate something without us knowing, he’s in for a surprise. We’ll confront him and shut this down before it spreads any further.”

Knox nodded, his usual calm replaced by a simmering intensity. “We can’t let him sow doubt about her, especially not now.”

“She’s our strength, not our weakness,” Jax added, his voice tight with anger. “Mark’s going to regret pulling this stunt.”

“We leave as soon as we’re ready,” I said, my decision already made. “This isn’t just about us anymore. It’s about Isabella, our family, and the future of the pack.”

The three of us exchanged a look, a silent agreement that no matter what Mark had planned, we wouldn’t let him win. Not now, not ever.

As I packed up my things, my mind wandered to Isabella. She had no idea what was brewing, and I intended to keep it that way until we had dealt with Mark. The last thing she needed was more stress, especially with the pregnancy. But I couldn’t help the surge of anger that rose every time I thought about her being dragged into this.

No one threatened our mate. Not without consequences.

We arrived at the pack just as the meeting was well underway. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the imposing packhouse. Knox, Jax, and I moved quietly, slipping past the guards without alerting anyone. We had always been skilled at staying under the radar when necessary, and today was no exception.

As we approached the large meeting hall, I braced myself for whatever nonsense Mark had cooked up. My anger simmered just beneath the surface, but I forced myself to remain calm. Losing control would only give him the upper hand. This was about strategy, about dismantling whatever lies he was spewing about Isabella.

We entered the hall silently, staying in the shadows as we surveyed the room. A few dozen alphas were scattered around the space, but what surprised us was the low turnout. I had expected more of them to show up for something as provocative as this. But instead, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm in the air, and I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction.

Mark stood at the front, pacing, his voice carrying across the room as he addressed those who had come. We caught the tail end of his speech as we quietly took our places at the back, unnoticed for now.

"...they’ve been blinded by their bond with her," Mark declared, his voice heavy with condescension. “I’ve done the job they should have done all along.”

Jax stiffened beside me, his jaw clenched in barely contained fury. I shot him a glance, silently reminding him to keep his cool. Mark hadn’t seen us yet, and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing we’d heard everything.

Mark’s eyes swept over the room, his smug smile firmly in place. "The truth is, the Black brothers have been compromised. They’ve chosen to side with a woman who carries the bloodline of our enemies."

I narrowed my eyes. Where is he going with this?

“And that woman—Isabella Moretti—her mother’s family are werewolf hunters.” His words rang through the hall like a death knell.

Silence fell, and for a brief moment, everything seemed to slow down.

I felt my blood run cold. Knox and Jax, who had been standing like coiled springs beside me, were equally stunned. A werewolf hunter’s bloodline? My mind raced, struggling to make sense of it. Isabella’s mother was human, but this? This was something I hadn’t expected. None of us had.

Mark smirked as if he had just delivered the fatal blow. He knew he’d stunned the room, and worse, he knew he’d caught us off guard.

"The Black brothers," he continued, "are blind to what she really represents. She’s a threat to our kind. And if they continue down this path, they’ll be bringing a wolf hunter’s blood into the heart of our pack.”

I clenched my fists. Every instinct in me screamed to defend Isabella, to push back against this revelation that threatened to upend everything. But the shock hadn’t worn off yet. How could we not have known?

Mark kept speaking, his voice droning on as I exchanged glances with my brothers. Jax’s eyes were wide with disbelief, while Knox’s expression was hard as stone. We were all reeling, but I forced myself to think through the haze of confusion. We had to be smart about this. Mark was trying to stir up doubt, to make the alphas question us, and in doing so, weaken our bid for the throne.

But Isabella? A hunter’s descendant?

I had no idea how to process that, not yet. And clearly, neither did my brothers.

Mark wrapped up his speech, basking in the attention he’d garnered. The alphas in the room exchanged uneasy looks, whispering amongst themselves. The energy had shifted. Mark had thrown a grenade into the room, and now everyone was waiting for us to respond.

Knox finally spoke, his voice low and tight. “What now?”

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. “We’ll confront him. But not here, not in front of the others.”

Jax’s jaw twitched, barely holding back his rage. “We should’ve seen this coming.”

“We couldn’t have,” I replied quietly. “But we’ll handle it.”

With that, we stepped forward, making our presence known. The room turned toward us, and Mark’s self-satisfied grin faltered as he caught sight of us.

It was time to take control.