CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE
“My actions over the past weeks have stirred different reactions among the pack, and I believe it is time I address them.” My voice filled the hall in a calm, controlled wave. The sound moved through the room, and the pack members straightened little by little. A quiet focus settled over them, their attention sharpening even though their eyes remained lowered in proper respect.
“I want the best for my people. My father gave everything he had to build this place, and in my time, I intend to do even more.”
I paused, letting the words settle in the heavy stillness of the hall. I could sense the shift in the room as my gaze moved slowly from one side to the other. Every seat in the pack hall was filled, each person sitting quietly with their head bowed, and their eyes lowered to the ground.
Although no one dared lift their gaze, curiosity showed in the way some leaned ever so slightly forward. Unease rippled through others, their shoulders tightening or their fingers curling against their knees. A few held a quiet expectancy that settled through the room like a faint hum.
Small movements revealed more than their faces ever could. Some clasped their hands together until their knuckles turned pale. Others shifted their feet, grounding themselves as if preparing for whatever came next. I could even sense a few holding their breath, waiting for the direction I was about to take.
Then my eyes landed on Iris, sitting at the end of the row in the hall. Darius sat only a few seats away from me, and for some reason, I liked that they weren’t together. I lingered on her for a moment longer, taking in the way she kept her posture straight but tense, before turning slightly to catch Darius’s expression. His jaw was clenched, and I was sure he was perceiving her scent all over me. The flicker of jealousy on his face didn’t disappoint. 
My lips curved into a faint smirk as I shifted my gaze, my hand drumming lightly on the table in quiet rhythm.
“And with that, I think I owe you all an explanation on this mate Issue.”
Murmurs began to rise among the pack members. I caught Iris shift slightly in her seat, and I could feel Darius clenching his jaw. I ignored both and continued.
“I should have addressed this long ago. I wasn’t bewitched.”
The murmurs grew louder, restless but cautious. I let them simmer before raising my voice, letting authority roll through each word. 
“Let that narrative die today.”
“I met Iris during my meeting with the Wood Cleek. She was a warrior there.” My voice dropped slightly. I knew they had seen her strength, but I needed to make it clear she was no one to be underestimated.
“I made the mistake of not taking my mate then, and that mistake still hurts me to this day. But I will not let it continue.”
I shifted slightly in my seat, letting the words roll over the hall like a measured current. The pack remained tense and quiet, heads bowed, but subtle movements betrayed their attention. Fingers twisted nervously in laps. Some leaned forward just a fraction, careful not to draw notice. A few exchanged glances.
Iris’s shoulders were squared, hands resting tensely on her lap. Darius, a few seats away, pressed his palms against his thighs, jaw flexing as if restraining some reaction. His head remained lowered, but the tension radiating from him was unmistakable.
I let my gaze linger on them long enough to note their reactions, then swept it lightly across the hall. The silence that followed my words was thick, almost tactile, as if the air itself were holding its breath, waiting for the next move.
“The Council has summoned me,” I continued, my voice dropping slightly. “They believe I rejected the mate they approved for me, and that I refused to bow to their decision.”
“Alpha.” One of the Elders finally cleared his throat. “The Council only wishes to secure the future with a strong alliance. Rejecting their chosen mate is…” His voice faltered for a moment. “Remember the-”
“It is my decision,” I cut in. The steel in my voice made his words die before they left his mouth. “And I will not justify a choice that was never theirs to make.”
The hall fell into a thick silence. Even the faint murmurs stilled, leaving only the weight of the moment pressing against every bowed head and tense posture.
“That will be all, you all can retire to your various quarters,” I announced, rising and leaving the hall. I had hoped the announcement would lift my mood, but instead, it only made me angrier. I did not wish to be the kind of Alpha who instills fear in his own pack, yet the tension in the room reminded me that I was failing to live up to that ideal.
If only I had waited a little longer and not signed those papers, none of this would be happening.
I mind-linked Darius, instructing him to meet me in my office.

Darius came into the office and took a seat close to mine, his shoulders still stiff, though he eased slightly as he settled. 
“Jake is taking care of his mate. He would have gone to deliver this, but we need to take it to Wolfpine Pack before heading to the Council,” I instructed, handing him an envelope.
His body shifted in the chair, a faint flicker of unease crossing his features. His eyes darted briefly to the floor, then back to mine.
“Do I have to go?” His body stiffened further, knuckles whitening as he pressed his hands to his thighs. Even in the quiet of the office, his unease seemed to fill the space around him. 
“Yes.” My face tightened, a flush of something I hadn’t expected rising in me. I hadn’t seen this side of him, hesitant, uncertain, almost… afraid. 
I shifted slightly in my seat, letting the silence settle for a moment. The envelope in his hands seemed heavier than it actually was.
“You’re not saying anything.”
“Sure. I’ll deliver it.”
He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tightening.
“Darius… tell me if there’s a problem.”
His head tilted just enough to avoid my gaze. Without another word, he strode out of the office, the door closing with a soft click behind him.