Chapter 290 290
Aurélie POV
“Wait—wait, Damien.”
Jérôme’s voice cracks as he stumbles backward. “I’m protected by the Bloodnight alliance. You have to protect me.”
The arrogance he wore only seconds ago fractures, fear bleeding through as reality finally sets in. His plans are unraveling. The man he devoted his life to the one he believed would shield him is nowhere to be found. No savior. No defense.
“The Darkvale alliance operates outside my jurisdiction,” Damien says calmly. “My hands are tied.”
I don’t need to look at him to know the expression on his face. I can feel the sharp satisfaction curling through our mate bond the pleasure of finding a loophole and exploiting it perfectly.
Fabrice and I advance down the center aisle, putting deliberate distance between Jérôme and the exit. Fabrice stays on my left, steady and alert.
When we reach the end of the aisle, we split, fanning out as Jérôme retreats step by step cornered now, moving like a trapped animal.
His warriors are blocked from entering the room. Are they even trying? The pack members saw us arrive; surely they would have sent for reinforcements through the pack link by now.
The Bloodnight warriors remain stationed near Damien, guarding the doors. They can’t intervene not yet but I know they won’t leave us. They never would.
Just as mine would never abandon them.
My warriors spread wider, mirroring my stance and Fabrice’s, forming an unbreakable barrier. There will be no escape.
This man conspired with Gaston to kill Damien. To tear the Darkvale pack from me by force. A pack that belongs to Dominique both packs do. His inheritance. His future.
A united kingdom under his rule when he comes of age. Two alliances brought together for a stronger shifter world.
I cannot let Jérôme live.
“You won’t do anything,” he sneers weakly, gesturing wildly at the room. “You can’t. There are witnesses. Witnesses to your downfall.”
He expects them to rise. To stand with him.
“He’s right,” my wolf murmurs inside me. Her voice is still faint, her strength not fully restored but she’s been speaking to me more often now. The vitamins Fabrice started giving us are helping. “He has witnesses.”
I turn slowly, deliberately, facing every alpha still in the hall.
I meet their eyes one by one.
They are not part of my alliance. I cannot command them. All I can do is hope.
Hope they choose what is right.
To my surprise… the first alpha stands.
He gives me a brief, solemn nod.
Then he turns his back and walks out.
Another follows.
And another.
One by one, they leave the room, their silence louder than any declaration.
Until only the Darkvale and Bloodnight warriors remain with their alphas and betas.
All of them gone.
All but one.
The alpha’s son lingers, one eyebrow cocked as he watches me. He doesn’t follow his father. Interesting.
I refocus.
Jérôme’s face has drained of color, pale as ash. His eyes dart frantically as each alpha abandons him—every last one.
When the truth finally crushes him, he collapses to his knees, hands clasping together in a mockery of prayer.
“Please… please…”
“Tell me where he is,” I growl, my voice low and lethal.
“I can’t,” he gasps. “He’ll kill me”
His eyes flick toward the exits, calculating, searching for one final escape.
“I’m about to kill you,” I snap, unleashing my aura fully.
It slams into him, forcing his body rigid beneath my command.
He says nothing.
Just shakes his head.
He’s really willing to die for Gaston. Willing to leave his pack leaderless. Willing to doom his own people.
“Your pack will be without an Alpha,” Fabrice says quietly, making one last attempt. “Think of your people.”
Appeal to the part of him that was supposed to exist. The Alpha who should have put his pack above all else.
“What happened to Darkvale compassion?” Jérôme rasps desperately. “Your father was compassionate. He always saw the good in people.”
“Don’t you dare mention my father.”
The roar rips from my chest, shaking the walls themselves. Heat erupts in my core, a burning flame igniting in my stomach.
I feel Damien pushing through the mate bond, trying to calm me.
I shove him out.
“The Darkvale always taught a different way,” Jérôme continues, voice trembling now. “Helping others see the pure light of the moon. They never killed in cold blood…”
His eyes lift to mine, desperate and accusing all at once.
“Are you capable of that, Alpha Aurélie?”
“Killing an unarmed man?”
“Someone begging you for a second chance?”
The room holds its breath.