Chapter Forty-Two: Simon's POV
The family meeting five days later was exactly as troublesome as I'd anticipated.
Elder Thornton spoke first, his voice heavy. "This engagement was meant to stabilize our relationship with the Carter family, secure our position in Seattle, and leave something for the next generation. You unilaterally ended it, and we've wasted decades of accumulated relationships."
"I ended it." I held back my anger. "Because Isabella Carter tried to kill my person with silver bullets. I must remind you, if Carol had actually died, that would mean war."
"A half-human ward with no standing in pack law," Thornton countered, obvious contempt in his expression. "You let personal feelings affect your judgment over a girl who's never transformed. The pack needs strong allies, Alpha, not wounded pride over someone who doesn't even carry our scent."
I saw several other Council members nodding, their expressions carefully neutral but their body language revealing their true thoughts.
They'd never accepted Carol's presence in the manor, had always opposed my keeping her close, thinking she should have been sent to a human foster family, far from pack politics.
Elder Vasquez cleared her throat, drawing attention to the other side of the table. She was twenty years younger than Thornton but carried no less weight.
Her reputation was earned on the battlefield, demonstrating solid tactical abilities in border conflicts with the Andreas family, saving the pack multiple times.
"With all due respect, Elder Thornton," she said, "you're ignoring the evidence right in front of you. Carol survived a silver bullet that should have killed her. Her wounds didn't take weeks to heal—they took minutes. The abilities she showed in combat far exceeded what humans are capable of. She took down five trained warriors without a scratch. These aren't characteristics of someone without pack bloodline."
The debate escalated from there, the two factions arguing more and more intensely.
When the voices got too loud and nearly lost control, I released Alpha pressure to quiet everyone.
"The engagement is canceled." My words left no room for negotiation. "This isn't for you to discuss, nor does it fall under Council jurisdiction. I am this pack's Alpha. Who can enter our territory, who can join our family, who deserves protection under pack law—I decide. Isabella Carter tried to kill Carol, she's already violated the law. I won't reward her family's betrayal with a political marriage."
Thornton's face flushed with barely suppressed fury. "You're making a mistake, Simon. The Council has the right to—"
"The Council has the right to advise," I interrupted, my voice low but every word clear. "You can express your concerns, discuss policy. But you have no right to override me or dictate who I should protect. If that's not clear enough, I can arrange a formal challenge, and we can resolve the leadership question the traditional way."
The threat hung between us like an unsheathed blade. Thornton, though experienced, was no match for an Alpha in his prime.
He stared at me for a long time, the wolf rising behind his eyes, almost ready to pounce. But in the end, he looked away first.
"As you say, Alpha." He said through gritted teeth.
The other Council members noticed and adjusted their postures, expressions, entire energy to acknowledge the shift in power dynamics. I knew this confrontation would have consequences—Thornton had allies among the old families who would view my display of dominance as an insult to pack traditions, and they would look for opportunities to undermine my authority through more subtle means. But at least for now, the question of Carol's status was settled.
Council members left in small groups, speaking in hushed tones, already preparing for the next round of maneuvering. I didn't move, letting them leave on their own. My mind was already thinking about the next trouble.
I sat alone in the empty meeting room, Thornton's unwilling expression still etched in my mind.
I'd protected Carol today, which meant I'd pushed her into the crosshairs. But I didn't want to hear others tell me what to do anymore.
She needed a formal status. Not "ward," not "dependent," not an outsider with no place in pack law.
She needed a status that all werewolves couldn't question.
I stood up, pacing around the room.
"Provisional membership," I said to myself.
Pack law had this provision, for those who hadn't transformed yet but already showed potential.
Carol's combat abilities and healing speed were enough to qualify her for that standard.
I'd used this clause before, giving provisional status to a few people, waiting for their wolves to awaken before making it permanent. But I'd never thought to use it for Carol.
Why not?
Knox stirred in my consciousness, letting out a low sound of approval. "She won't want to leave. Once she understands what she is, once she feels the pack bond and recognizes us as her mate, she'll fully embrace this life."
"I know." I answered him.
This decision would give her real legal protection.
From now on, if anyone harmed her, it wouldn't just be an offense against me personally, but a challenge to the entire pack.
At the same time, she'd also have to take on responsibilities, participate in pack affairs, prove her worth.
Once Thornton's group saw she wasn't just consuming resources, they'd have nothing to say.
But this would also bind her more tightly to this world. If one day her abilities fully manifested and she wanted to choose a different path, it would be more difficult.
"She won't choose that," Knox said. "Stop protecting her from the destiny she was born for."
I stopped pacing and stood by the window, looking out at the night.
Alright. That's decided.
Late at night, I sat in my study, holding whiskey but not intending to drink it.
My phone vibrated, Marcus's name appearing on the screen with two words that made my blood run cold: ANDREAS. SOUTH.
I opened the full report, quickly scanning the intelligence collected over the past few days. With each line I read, my fury grew.
The Andreas family had infiltrated the southern territories—our weak point, where months of tension were slowly fermenting into conflict.
What really sent a chill down my spine: the financial trail led all the way back to Carter holding companies.
Which meant Robert, who'd sat in my study not long ago with tears in his eyes apologizing.
And his family had been helping our enemies establish positions in our most vulnerable areas.
Knox roared viciously in my mind, demanding immediate action, immediate retaliation.
The Carters had played me. They used Isabella's incident to distract me, and while I was dealing with it, they stabbed me in the back.
I called through the mind link, summoning my most trusted warriors to head south.
After a moment of silence, their voices came through the mind link one by one.
"Received."
"Already on the way."
"Marcus in position."
"Jack, arriving in five minutes."