Chapter 79: The Council’s Deception

Mariana’s POV

By dawn, the tension in the pack had thickened into something almost suffocating. Whispers spread like wildfire as word of the emergency council summons reached every rank. Warriors trained harder, eyes sharp with unease. Elders gathered in hushed circles, their expressions tight with suspicion.

They all knew something was coming.

Alexander and I stood at the heart of the pack’s meeting hall, the stone chamber already filled with wolves of every status. The council sat in their raised seats, their expressions unreadable, but I could feel the tension radiating from them.

They weren’t surprised. They’d been waiting for this.

Eva stood at my side, her arms crossed, her sharp gaze flicking between the council members like a predator tracking prey. Alexander stepped forward, his voice firm as he addressed them.

“The pack deserves the truth.” His words echoed through the hall, commanding attention. “For too long, secrets have been kept from our people. That ends today.”

Councilman Edgar, one of the oldest members, leaned forward, his expression carefully neutral. “You call this meeting with heavy accusations, Alpha.”

Alexander’s gaze didn’t waver. “I call this meeting because we found records buried in the archives. Records that speak of a bloodline erased from history.”

A ripple of murmurs swept through the crowd.

Edgar’s fingers drummed against the wooden table. “And what exactly do you believe you’ve uncovered?”

Eva scoffed. “Don’t play dumb. Lucian Voss. You know the name.”

A flicker of something—shock, perhaps—flashed across the council members’ faces before it was quickly buried.

The air grew charged.

Alexander’s voice was steel. “Is he alive?”

A long silence stretched between us. Then, Councilwoman Celeste, her silver hair glinting under the torchlight, sighed heavily. “You should have left this buried, Alexander.”

My stomach dropped.

So it was true.

Murmurs turned into outright whispers. Wolves shifted uneasily.

Alexander’s fists clenched at his sides. “You knew. All this time, you knew Marion had a brother.”

“We did what was necessary to keep the pack stable,” Edgar replied. “Lucian Voss was exiled for a reason. His presence would have only led to war.”

Eva took a sharp step forward. “And now he’s back. Gathering power. Preparing to take what he believes is rightfully his.”

Edgar’s face darkened. “Which is exactly why you shouldn’t have gone digging. You’ve accelerated what could have been prevented.”

A cold dread curled in my stomach. “Prevented how?” I demanded.

Celeste hesitated just long enough for realization to hit me.

They had planned something. A way to handle Lucian before we ever knew the truth.

Alexander took a slow step forward, his voice dangerously