Investigation
The council meeting was set before dawn. The entire council hall was heavy with silence and tension; the air thick enough to choke on. Every elder, every officer of rank, and every head of department in the pack had gathered—each one burning with questions about the rumors spreading like wildfire through the estate.
The double doors opened, and Alpha Theo walked in. Beta Matt followed closely behind him, his face equally grim.
The low murmuring that had filled the hall stopped instantly. All eyes turned to the Alpha.
Theo’s expression was unreadable, carved in stone. His steps were slow but deliberate as he reached the center of the room. He stood there for a moment, scanning the faces before him—the elders, the warriors, the healers, the scribes. All of them waiting for him to speak.
After a long pause, he began. His voice was deep and steady, but laced with suppressed fury.
“Every rumor you have heard tonight is true.”
A wave of gasps filled the room. Theo’s golden eyes flickered dangerously under the torchlight.
“Samantha,” he continued, “has confessed to murdering our late Luna, Rina—and to selling her child away shortly after.”
The room erupted.
Elders shot to their feet, their voices overlapping in outrage.
“What!”
“She killed Luna Rina?”
“Sold the heir to our pack’s throne?”
“How dare she!”
The noise became a storm of fury and disbelief. Some of the warriors present were already halfway to the doors, ready to storm the waiting room where Samantha was being held.
Theo raised his hand sharply, and silence fell again.
“She refuses to give vital information on the child’s whereabouts,” he said coldly. “But Miko and the female warriors are continuing interrogation. Gamma Jihoo is already leading a full-scale search for the missing heir. We will find that child.”
At that last sentence, his voice trembled—not from weakness, but from rage. His eyes turned red with emotion.
The elders exchanged worried glances.
“She can’t have acted alone,” one elder said finally, his voice shaking. “There must be accomplices—someone helped her hide the child.”
Another nodded quickly. “Yes! We must find them all. And the security around the estate must be doubled immediately to avoid any chance of rescue or escape.”
Theo’s jaw tightened. “Already done,” he replied firmly. “Every border guard has been alerted. No one enters or leaves the territory without my direct order.”
The murmurs of anger softened into grim approval.
An elder named Jun, one of the oldest council members, stood slowly. His white beard trembled as he spoke. “It grieves my heart to hear this. But we thank the Moon Goddess for revealing the truth through you, Alpha. May justice be served, and may the Luna’s soul finally rest.”
A low murmur of agreement rippled across the hall.
Theo nodded once, then raised his hand again to silence them. “There is one more thing,” he said quietly. “Before tonight, I discovered something else that must be made known to the council.”
The room fell silent.
“My mate has been revealed to me.”
Gasps filled the air again, but this time with awe and joy instead of rage. Smiles broke across several faces; even the stern elders seemed relieved.
“Who is she?” one of them asked eagerly.
Theo’s expression softened slightly, though his tone remained firm. “Her name is Mina. She is one of the omegas who has served faithfully in this pack.”
The hall fell silent for a long moment as the words sank in. An omega… as Luna.
Then, slowly, the room broke into whispers and surprised exclamations.
“An omega?”
“The Moon Goddess’s ways are mysterious indeed.”
“If the Alpha has chosen her, then so must we.”
Despite their shock, most of the elders bowed their heads in respect. The announcement of an Alpha’s mate was sacred—it could not be questioned.
Theo’s gaze moved across the hall, daring anyone to object. No one did.
“Then it is settled,” Elder Jun said finally. “We welcome our future Luna with honor, and we will protect her as one of our own.”
The others nodded, voices rising again—but now with loyalty, not doubt.
Theo gave one final order before turning to leave. “The meeting is adjourned. Keep every watch sharp. Samantha will not leave this estate alive until I have the full truth.”
And with that, he turned and strode out of the hall, Matt following behind him.
The council remained in stunned silence for several moments before the room erupted again—some in praise of their Alpha’s strength, others whispering prayers for the missing heir.
Outside, dawn was breaking slowly over the pack lands, but inside Theo’s heart, the night had only just begun.
\---
The council hall gradually emptied after Theo’s firm dismissal. Everyone left with fire in their hearts and questions in their minds. But for Theo, the meeting’s end marked only the beginning of a heavier burden.
He returned to his chamber, where Mina sat quietly on the couch, her eyes red and swollen from tears but her presence calm and comforting. She stood the moment he walked in, but before she could speak, a sharp knock came at the door.
It was Miko.
Theo’s brows furrowed instantly. “What is it?” he asked, his tone clipped.
Miko bowed deeply before reporting, “Alpha… Samantha has finally spoken still under interrogation.”
Theo’s golden eyes flared with intensity. “What did she say?”
“She—she didn’t name any accomplices,” Miko said, lowering his head. “She claims she acted alone. But she confessed to selling Luna Rina’s child to a slave merchant within our pack.”
Theo’s breath hitched. “A merchant?”
“Yes, Alpha. The man’s name is Soliam. He owned one of the largest trading estates near the eastern border. But…” Miko hesitated.
“But what?” Theo’s voice darkened.
“But he hasn’t been seen for months. He left the pack on a trading trip and never returned. His estate was searched immediately as you commanded—no records, no slaves, nothing. It’s like he vanished from the face of the earth.”
For a long moment, Theo said nothing. His fists clenched by his sides, knuckles whitening as his mind spun. The thought that Rina’s child—his own blood—might have been lost, enslaved, or worse twisted a dagger through his heart.
Miko lowered his gaze. “Alpha, I’ve placed warriors to monitor every trade route. If Soliam is alive, we’ll find him.”
Theo gave a curt nod. “Good. Leave no stone unturned.”
When Miko left, silence filled the room again. Theo stood frozen in place, his head bowed. He could feel the weight of every heartbeat—each one heavier than the last.
Mina watched him quietly. She could feel it through their mate bond—the grief, the fury, the guilt tearing him apart inside. Her chest ached just feeling his pain.
Without a word, she rose and walked toward him. Gently, she placed her small hands on his trembling ones. “Theo…” she whispered softly.
He didn’t look up. His eyes were fixed on the floor, but she saw the glint of tears forming at the corners.
“The Moon Goddess wouldn’t reveal this only to leave it unfinished,” Mina said softly. “If the child is alive, you will find them. You’ve already uncovered more truth than anyone dared to believe.”
Her voice was quiet, but every word was steady and warm. Theo finally looked at her, his golden eyes clouded with pain.
For a moment, he couldn’t speak. Then, wordlessly, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
The hug was strong, desperate—like a man trying to hold onto the last bit of hope he had left. Mina rested her head against his chest, feeling his heart pound against her ear.
“I’ve failed so many times,” Theo murmured, voice rough with suppressed emotion. “I couldn’t protect Rina… I couldn’t save her child… and now—”
Mina tightened her arms around him. “You haven’t failed. You’re fixing what was broken. That’s what true strength is.”
Her words melted something inside him. Slowly, he breathed in her scent—the warm, soothing essence that only his mate could carry—and the storm within him began to quiet.
For the first time since the night began, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to rest against her comfort.
Then—
Knock! Knock!
The sharp sound of knuckles on wood cut through the tender silence.
Theo stiffened slightly but didn’t release her immediately. Instead, he took a slow breath before saying, “Come in.”
The door opened—and standing there was Jihoo, his expression tight with urgency.
“Alpha,” Jihoo said, bowing slightly. “We’ve found something… about Soliam.”