Chapter 41 Chapter Forty-One
A long silence followed the Elder’s opening declaration, stretching over the chamber like a held breath. Then, the one seated at the center of the semicircle rose to his feet.
He was the eldest among them—his presence calm but commanding. Silver at his temples, a single braid trailing down his shoulder, and eyes like polished stone—he spoke with a weight of authority earned through decades of judgment.
“The Council recognizes that this hearing was delayed as additional context was reviewed in the last forty-eight hours,” he said, his gaze sweeping across the chamber. “This hearing has been convened to examine the circumstances surrounding the rogue Omega brought before us. We proceed now to question those whose testimony may aid in determining the truth.”
He turned his head slightly, the air in the chamber tightening.
“Alpha Garrick Blake,” he continued, gaze steady as it swept toward the opposite side of the room, “you have been called before the Council for questioning. Step forward.”
A quiet shift rippled through the chamber. All eyes followed the movement as Garrick stood.
He smoothed the front of his coat, jaw tense, and offered the Elders a respectful nod. But even from where she knelt, Kaelani could see the rigidity in his posture—the way his steps were too measured, too careful. This was a man who prided himself on composure. And yet, something in his gait betrayed unease.
He walked to the front of the room where a structure waited for him—glass-paneled on all sides, lined with subtle bands of silver and faintly glowing etching around the base. Not quite a cage, not quite a stage—but unmistakably a place of isolation.
A signal blocker. No mind-links would reach in or out once sealed.
A voice rang out from the side—another official, seated at a glowing interface.
“Mind-link dampeners engaged.”
A faint hum vibrated through the chamber as the field activated, casting the enclosure in a faint shimmer. Alpha Garrick entered, the panel closing behind him with a soft, final hiss.
He sat slowly in the lone chair inside. A single beam of light illuminated him from above, harsh and clinical, throwing shadows across his face. He looked toward the Elders with a carefully neutral expression.
But Kaelani didn’t miss the way he avoided looking in her direction.
Not yet.
The Elder’s gaze fixed on Garrick behind the transparent walls.
“Alpha Garrick,” he began, his voice formal but edged with skepticism, “we’ve reviewed the sworn statement you submitted earlier this week.” A glowing slate hovered beside him, its contents pulsing faintly in the air. “You confirmed that Miss Kaelani is—was—a registered member of the Silveredge Pack and has been missing for the past five years.”
Garrick nodded solemnly, hands clasped before him as though in mourning.
“That is correct, Elder.”
“And you further stated,” the Elder continued, scanning the file, “that you are unaware why she does not appear in the current registry?”
“Yes,” Garrick replied smoothly. “It came as a surprise to me as well. I can only assume… someone with the skills may have tampered with your digital records.” He gave the barest shrug. “A hacker, perhaps. I suspect Kaelani may have taken those steps herself, in order to live outside Lycan jurisdiction.”
A low murmur swept through the chamber.
Kaelani’s jaw clenched. She shook her head slowly, rage rippling beneath her skin.
The lies.
She opened her mouth, barely able to contain herself—but before she could speak, a voice cut through the chamber like a blade:
“That’s a bunch of bullshit!”
Gasps erupted from the rows of observers.
Kaelani snapped her head toward the voice—stunned.
Julian had risen from his seat, eyes ablaze, the force of his fury rolling off him in waves.
“Tell the truth, Garrick!” he snarled, every word a direct challenge.
The Elder’s tone dropped into something sharp and final.
“Alpha Julian, you will not speak out of turn.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Believe me, you will have your chance. And it is not now. Take your seat.”
Julian’s father grabbed his son’s arm and yanked him back down with quiet force.
Julian sat, but his stare didn’t waver.
It burned straight through the glass, through the lies, through Garrick.
The Elder didn’t spare Julian another glance as he returned his focus to the booth.
“Alpha Garrick,” he said coolly, “as part of our investigation into Miss Kaelani’s background and legal standing, we conducted a full review of her financial history.” A flick of his fingers brought up a translucent screen, figures and timestamps glowing beneath the Council’s seal.
“According to this record, Miss Kaelani opened a personal bank account on the day that you claim she went missing—her eighteenth birthday.”
Whispers stirred again.
The Elder continued, unfazed.
“What raised further concern was a transaction made into that account on the exact same day. A deposit totaling seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars—”
His eyes lifted.
“—from your personal account.”
Gasps rippled through the chamber.
Across the aisle, Garrick’s mate Brielle turned sharply toward him, shock written plain on her face. His children shifted in their seats, stunned. Even Christian looked momentarily rattled.
Garrick straightened, mouth parting, a flicker of panic in his gaze.
“That—That’s impossible,” he stammered. “She must have hacked my account. Just like the records. She—she manipulated the whole thing!”
Kaelani’s control finally snapped.
“You lying bastard!” she screamed, her voice hoarse with fury. “You gave me that money!”
Before anyone could react, one of the guards at her side thrust a long wand toward her ribs. A burst of blue electricity arced out—sharp and blinding.
Kaelani’s body jerked violently as the charge hit.
She collapsed with a shriek, convulsing on the stone floor, wrists still bound, her body writhing in pain.
“What the fuck?!” Julian shot up again, rage exploding from his chest. He surged forward, but his father was faster—grabbing him and holding him back with a grunt of effort.
“Let me go!” Julian snarled.
The Elder’s voice cracked like thunder.
“Alpha Julian! Contain yourself!”
His tone dropped, warning thick in it.
“That is the last time I will say it.”
Julian stood seething, his chest heaving.
“Was that necessary?!” he shouted, glaring at the guard. “Tasing her?! For that?!”
The Elder turned toward the offending guard, face hard.
“Such force is reserved for those posing a threat, not for an outburst.” His voice cut deep. “You will not act out of order again. Am I understood?”
The guard immediately lowered his head.
“Yes, Elder. I understand. I apologize.”
Kaelani lay curled on the stone floor, breathing in shallow gasps, hair clinging to her damp face. And still—through it all—her eyes burned toward Garrick.
From across the chamber, Elara’s eyes seethed.
She watched Julian—tense, wild-eyed, protective.
His fury had ignited the moment Kaelani screamed.
He hadn’t even hesitated.
So fierce, so ready to defy the Elders… all for her.
The little bitch.
Elara’s gaze slid to Kaelani, who now knelt again, her body trembling as the guards hoisted her upright by the arms. Her chin hung low, shoulders shuddering with pain—but she was still breathing. Still there.
Not for long, Elara thought, venom coiling behind her painted smile.
When she comes home… she’ll suffer far worse than this.
The lead Elder leaned forward again, his voice calm, but colder than before.
“Alpha Garrick,” he said. “The deposit was not the most… interesting discovery our inquiry uncovered.”
A subtle shift moved through the room.
Even Kaelani’s aching head lifted slightly, a furrow drawing between her brows. Julian’s posture tensed again, sharp and alert. His father glanced sideways at him, uncertain.
And Jace?
Jace leaned in, forearms balanced on his thighs, fingers laced together, eyes fixed dead ahead.
Waiting.
Knowing.
The Elder retrieved a thin folder from the desk beside him, its seal already broken.
“Two days ago, a document landed on my desk. Unsolicited. Anonymous.”
He lifted the sheet inside.
“A DNA test.”
The chamber held its breath.
“It confirms Miss Kaelani’s paternal lineage.”
Kaelani’s breath caught.
Julian stilled.
Even Elara blinked.
Garrick scoffed loudly.
“She probably falsified that too. She’s clearly resourceful enough.”
The Elder didn’t flinch.
He removed his glasses with deliberate care, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps she did falsify this.”
He lowered the glasses into his lap, folding them carefully.
“Maybe the Council will simply take fresh DNA samples, reconvene at a later date, and wait for the results to confirm—or unravel—what this test claims.”
A pause. A silence so tight it could snap.
“Or…”
His eyes lifted, sharper than before.
“You could start telling the truth.”
The chamber seemed to narrow in that moment, all focus trained on the man behind the glass.
“So tell us…”
The Elder’s voice cut clean through the stillness.
“Who is the girl’s father, Alpha Garrick?”