Chapter 219 Deal with You Shortly
Chapter 219 Deal with You Shortly
Isabella's POV
When the guards summoned me to the stage alongside Sebastian and Richard, I felt a strange mixture of dread and anticipation. Richard attempted to resist, his jaw clenched and shoulders rigid. Sebastian too seemed reluctant, casting anxious glances toward Victoria in the audience.
I, however, followed willingly. Something in my son's eyes told me he knew exactly what he was doing, and despite everything, I trusted Damian.
As we reached the stage, I noticed how Damian stood tall beside Lya, their fingers intertwined. They looked powerful together.
Damian stepped forward, his voice steady as he addressed the crowded ballroom. "I am formally requesting that Richard Sterling be removed from his position as Alpha of Moon Shadow Pack, effective immediately."
Richard tensed beside me, his face flushing with anger, but he didn't move. Perhaps it was the silver cuffs around his wrists, or perhaps it was the knowledge that he couldn't fight what was coming.
My attention shifted to Airina, standing just a few feet away. The shock on her face as she finally realized the truth was painful to watch. Damian had never been her mate. She had been lied to. We had all lied to her. In that moment, I felt a stab of guilt. While Victoria had orchestrated most of the deception, I had been complicit. I hadn't spoken up when I should have.
Airina was a victim too, in her own way. A different kind of victim than Lya, certainly, but Victoria's manipulation had shaped her into what she became. I wondered how different things might have been if we'd all just told the truth from the beginning.
But before I could dwell on that thought, Sebastian shifted uncomfortably beside me, and I turned just in time to see Sophia being questioned about her pregnancy. When the truth came out—that Sebastian was the father of her unborn child—my heart shattered for Victoria. The betrayal in her eyes was raw and visceral.
I couldn't help but wonder why Victoria had never told me about Sebastian's renewed infidelity. We had been friends for decades. I had trusted her with my darkest secret, yet she hadn't trusted me with this. What else had she kept hidden from me? The thought left me cold.
Amidst the chaos, my eyes found Damian and Lya again. They shared a brief look as the revelations continued to unfold around them. My chest ached at the sight. If I had done what Victoria wanted, if I had let Richard force Damian to marry Sophia and raise Sebastian's child, my son would never have known this kind of love. What a fool I had been.
The confrontation escalated when several members of the Supernatural Council rose from their seats, faces twisted with rage as they faced off against Damian and Lya. For a moment, I feared for my son and his mate, but the three Alpha leaders standing with them never wavered in their support. Their confidence was unshakable.
Council Member White stepped forward, his voice dripping with disdain as he addressed Lya. "You are nothing but a worthless halfblood," he spat. "You should be grateful we even allow your kind to live among us."
Disgust washed over me. How had someone like White ever been elected to the Supernatural Council? I had always known there was corruption, but to see it displayed so openly was jarring.
Then came the moment that changed everything. Lya stepped forward, her head held high, and announced that she was the Moon Goddess Chosen One.
Time seemed to stop. The ballroom fell silent, save for the sound of heartbeats. Everyone on stage, except for Damian and Lya, went pale. Including me.
Lya broke the silence, her voice clear as she addressed the leaders and the crowd. "As the Moon Goddess Chosen to lead the Supernatural Council, I hereby accept the request from these Alpha leaders for an immediate, open meeting to discuss allegations of misconduct within the Moon Shadow Pack."
She continued, her voice gaining strength with each word. "First, I will address the composition of the Council itself, as it has been infiltrated. I intend to immediately remove and replace problematic members."
Turning to Council Member White, she added with chilling calm, "Councilor White, let's start with you. Please take a seat... unless you'd prefer to lie down."
Before White could respond, Victoria suddenly stood up, her face contorted with rage. "You're lying!" she screamed at Lya. "How could a mixed-blood bitch like you possibly be the Moon Goddess Chosen? You're weak and disgusting!"
Lya's response was immediate and powerful. "Sit down and be quiet. We'll deal with you shortly."
To my astonishment, Victoria immediately sat down, her mouth still moving but no sound coming out. I wondered if Dr. Jay might need to administer more sedatives to her.
As if taking Victoria's place, Airina jumped up next. "You are not the Moon Goddess Chosen!" she shouted. "You can't be! Everyone told me you were just a mixed-blood without a wolf and weak!"
Lya's gaze swept the room, her voice calm but challenging. "Is there anyone else here who truly doubts me?"
A few grumbles came from the ballroom, particularly from the box where the Council members sat. Lya smiled and before our eyes, she shifted.
Where Lya had stood moments before, a magnificent blue-silver she-wolf now stood, her coat gleaming under the chandeliers. On her right hip was a massive crescent symbol—the mark of the Chosen One. There was no denying it now.
Her wolf prowled across the stage, growling loudly at each Council member except for Taylor and Wood. The message was clear: she knew who had been corrupted and who might still be salvageable.
Damian removed his formal jacket and shirt, handing the shirt to Lya as she shifted back to human form. She slipped it on while Damian put his jacket back on over his bare chest. The act was intimate, a silent demonstration of their bond.
"Does anyone else continue to doubt me?" Lya asked, her voice deceptively soft.
No one answered.
"Good," she said with a satisfied nod. "Now let's have some fun. We have wolves waiting to speak with everyone in the box, so let's move quickly."