Chapter 12: Pressure

Annabelle's POV

As the heavy doors opened, the weight of a hundred eyes turned on us. My father walked forward with unshaken steps, and I walked with him, refusing to let him face the storm alone.

And for the first time, I wondered if this was what destiny felt like—not a choice, not a blessing, but a chain pulling you into fire no matter how much you tried to fight it. The instant my father stepped out of the council chamber, silence rippled through the hallway, heavy and suffocating. The doors had not even shut behind him before the low voices began to buzz around us—whispers like venomous snakes slithering through the crowd.

“Madness…”

“Does he mean to disgrace us?”

“Rogue? He cannot be serious.”

Every syllable stung my ears, each word hurled like a stone at the man I loved most in this world. My fists clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms, but I held my chin high. If they thought I’d cower or shrink away while they spat their poison, they were wrong.

My father’s face remained composed, carved from the same iron he’d always carried himself with. His presence alone quieted some of the muttering, though I could still feel the anger radiating from the council members.

“Ashton,” my father greeted, giving him a curt nod. His voice was measured, strong, but when his eyes found mine, his expression softened for the briefest of moments. A silent message passed between us, one I’d known since childhood: Stay strong, Annabelle. Do not falter now.

The men and women of the council began to filter out of the chamber, stiff bows masking their disdain, whispers trailing after them like smoke.

“He betrays the oath.”

“Unfit to lead, unfit to stay.”

“Weakness disguised as honor.”

I wanted to scream at them, tell them they had no right to judge him, no right to soil his name with their cowardice. My throat burned with unsaid words, but I bit them back. My father didn’t need me screaming. He needed me to be steady.

“Enough,” my father’s voice rang out, sharp as a blade. “This is not the place for shadows and whispers. We will reconvene shortly, and I will address the council openly. Until then—hold your tongues.”

The command in his tone silenced the room. Slowly, reluctantly, the murmurs died down, and the crowd dispersed.

When the last of them left, my father turned to me. “Anne. Walk with me.”

I obeyed without hesitation, falling into step beside him. His stride was purposeful, but I noticed the weight in his shoulders—the burden of a choice that could not be undone. Ashton and Paul followed close behind us, silent but unyielding shadows. I felt Ashton’s gaze burn into me, but I kept my eyes forward.

We turned down a side hall, away from the council chamber, into a quieter corridor lit only by flickering lanterns. My father exhaled heavily, and for a moment, the iron façade slipped. I saw not the Beta of the pack, not the councilman, but simply the man who had raised me, who had carried the world on his shoulders so I didn’t have to.

“Father…” I started, but my voice cracked. I swallowed hard, forcing strength back into it. “Have you decided?”

His gaze locked with mine, steady and resolute. “Yes. I will renounce the pack.”

The words fell heavy between us, a final toll of a bell I could never unhear. Even though I had expected them, even though I knew his heart, the sound of them aloud made the air rush out of me.

“Father…” My throat ached, and I had to look away to keep my eyes from spilling. “They’ll hate you for it. They already do.”

His expression softened. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face like he used to when I was little. “Let them. My honor is not theirs to dictate. I will not be bound to a pack that no longer upholds the values it was founded upon, they almost had you killed. Better they hate me for truth than respect me for a lie.”

My chest tightened, tears pricking my eyes, but I blinked them away. I would not cry. Not here.

“Annabelle,” he said softly, his hand gripping mine firmly now, grounding me. “When this is done, you’ll go with Ashton. That is the only safe path left to you. Promise me.”

I froze. Go with Ashton. Leave my father behind while they spat venom at his back, while they painted him a coward, a traitor. My heart screamed no, but the look in his eyes told me there was no room for argument.

“I promise,” I whispered, though the word tasted like ash on my tongue. I had already promised that a long time ago, I had made the decision for him, for me and finally for Alpha Ashton. After seeing the state he was in I was more determined to help him out, fix him. It was so odd seeing a strong man brought down by something and it was humbling too.

A warm pressure brushed against my other hand—Ashton. Subtle, firm, his touch steady like an anchor. I almost pulled away, ready to snap at him for intruding on a moment that wasn’t his, but I didn’t. Something in me needed the tether. Something in me hated how much I needed it.

Paul broke the silence first, his tone blunt as always. “The council won’t let this pass without blood. We need to move as soon as the words are spoken.” I understood him, but still I would stall, try and heal my father's wounds. It's the only way I can find peace.

My father’s jaw tightened. “I will not slink out like a coward in the night.” He said resolutely. I know him and how high he holds his principles and integrity. He's a warrior and warriors don't cower in the face of danger, he taught me that too and that's why I have to stay and be by his side.

I looked sharply at Ashton, daring him to argue, daring him to tell my father what to do. To my surprise, he didn’t—not directly. His eyes narrowed, the muscle in his jaw twitching, but when he spoke, his voice was controlled.

“Then we’ll stand with you. Whatever storm comes, we’ll weather it together.”

The words stole my breath for a moment. Not because they were exactly comforting, but because of the conviction in them. He didn’t mean just his men. He meant himself. He would put his own body between us and whatever storm was coming.

A dangerous warmth flickered in my chest. I pushed it down before it could root too deeply.

The council bell rang again, loud and commanding. My father straightened immediately, his Alpha’s mask sliding back into place like a second skin. He gave me one last look, filled with love and pride and sorrow, before he turned toward the council chamber.

I followed him, my steps steady despite the storm in my chest. Ashton was close, his presence sharp and unyielding, Paul watchful just behind.

The heavy doors opened, and the air inside shifted as every council member’s eyes turned toward us. The weight of their gazes pressed down like chains. My father walked forward, shoulders squared, his dignity intact, and I walked with him. If they wanted to call him a traitor, they would have to spit the same venom at me.

The murmurs grew again, rising in pitch as we approached the center of the room. My father lifted a hand, silencing them.

“I have given my years, my blood, my loyalty to this pack,” he began, his voice carrying with effortless strength. “I have stood on the borders, bled on the battlefield, and buried comrades in your name. But I will not stand in silence while this council strays from the path of honor. I cannot remain bound to laws that serve fear and pride over justice.”

The room erupted. Shouts, curses, accusations filled the air. “Coward!” “Betrayer!” “Unworthy!”

I felt Ashton bristle beside me, his wolf rising to the challenge, but my father did not falter.

“I renounce my ties to this pack,” he declared, his voice slicing through the uproar like a blade. “From this day forward, I walk like a rogue.”

My breath hitched. The word hung heavy in the chamber, final, inescapable.

The uproar turned violent. Several men surged forward, rage blazing in their eyes, but Ashton was faster. In one swift move, he stepped in front of me, his presence radiating such dominance that the first wave of attackers stumbled back instinctively.

Paul’s men flanked quickly, shields raised, tension thick as steel.

I wanted to reach for my father, to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, but Ashton’s hand gripped my wrist, pulling me back behind him.

“Stay close,” he growled under his breath, eyes never leaving the mob.

And just like that, the council chamber erupted into chaos.