Chapter 7 Alligence
Chapter 7:
Sera's POV
I turned slowly, making eye contact with each Alpha present. "The Aurora Territory protects its own. Anyone threatens my son, they answer to me. Are we clear?"
Nods. Stammered agreement. No one willing to meet my eyes for long.
Movement caught my attention. Dante, in human form, was fighting three rogues simultaneously near the head table. He was good....brutal efficiency, raw strength...but he was outnumbered and tiring.
Not my problem. Let him handle it.
But then I saw where he was fighting. Directly between the rogues and a cluster of civilian staff huddled behind overturned tables. He wasn't just fighting, he was holding a position, protecting non-combatants who couldn't defend themselves.
Damn it.
"Asher, stay with Marcus." I didn't wait for his response. Crossed the hall in seconds, grabbed the nearest rogue by the spine, and ripped it away from Dante.
"I didn't ask for help," he growled, dispatching another rogue with vicious efficiency.
"Good thing I don't need your permission." I snapped the rogue's neck, let it drop. "Behind you."
He spun, caught the third rogue mid-leap. We moved in perfect synchronization, he held it, I struck. The rogue died instantly.
For a heartbeat, we stood back-to-back, breathing hard, surrounded by bodies and chaos. The mate bond hummed between us, recognizing the partnership even if our minds resisted.
"Thank you," Dante said quietly.
"Thank me by keeping Asher safe." I moved away before the bond could strengthen further. "That's the only thing you can do that matters."
The remaining rogues were being systematically eliminated by council guards. Whatever this attack was meant to accomplish, it had failed.
Mostly.
I found Asher exactly where I'd left him, silver eyes wide but calm. Marcus sat propped against the wall, healers working on his head wound.
"Report," I demanded.
"They were waiting in our quarters," Marcus managed. "Knew exactly where we'd be. This wasn't random, it was coordinated."
"How many?"
"At least fifteen. We fought them off, but..." He grimaced. "They weren't trying that hard to kill us, Majesty. It felt like a distraction."
Distraction from what?
The answer hit me like a physical blow. I spun toward Asher, but he was fine, still standing where I'd left him.
No. Not a distraction from Asher. A distraction for him.
"Asher, what did the shadow men say? Exactly?"
He blinked up at me, confused. "They said to tell you they're sorry. That they didn't want to do this, but they have to. Something about orders and families."
Ice crystallized in my veins. "Tell me what?"
Asher reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. A crystal, glowing with sickly green light, pulsing with dark magic.
"The nice rogue gave this to me," Asher said innocently. "Before Mama killed him. He said I should hold it tight and keep it secret, but I don't like secrets from you."
I snatched the crystal from his hand. The moment my skin touched it, pain exploded through my system, not physical, but psychic. A tracking spell, infused with location magic and something worse.
A tether.
"Everyone OUT!" My voice cracked like a whip. "Clear the hall, NOW!"
To their credit, the Alphas didn't argue. They grabbed civilians and evacuated with impressive speed.
Dante hesitated. "Sera, what-"
"It's a trap. The whole attack was to plant this on Asher." I threw the crystal to the floor, tried to crush it. It didn't break. "They're using it to lock onto his location, and when enough power builds up-"
The crystal pulsed. Once. Twice.
Dante's eyes widened with understanding. "How long?"
"Minutes. Maybe less." I grabbed Asher, held him close. "We need to get him-"
The crystal exploded.
Not with fire or force, but with magic. Pure, corrupted magical energy that wrapped around Asher like chains, trying to tear him from my arms.
"NO!" I flooded my system with Lunar Lycan power, creating a shield around him.
The magic fought back. Stronger than it should be. Impossible to break.
Asher screamed, not in pain, but in terror. His own power erupted in response, silver light clashing with the corrupt green magic.
"Sera, let me help!" Dante reached for us.
"Don't touch-"
He grabbed my arm anyway. The mate bond, dormant and damaged, suddenly surged to life. His Alpha strength flowed into me, mixing with my Lunar Lycan power, and together...
We shattered the spell.
The crystal exploded into dust. The magic dissipated like fog in sunlight. Asher collapsed against me, sobbing, but alive. Whole. Safe.
For now.
I looked at Dante over Asher's head. Our hands were still connected, the bond pulsing between us with painful intensity.
"This isn't over," I said quietly. "Someone just tried to magically kidnap our son in front of the entire Continental Council."
"I know." His hand tightened on my arm. "And whoever sent them just declared war on both of us."
The hall doors burst open again. Elder Moira rushed in, followed by council guards and...
My blood turned to ice.
High Council members. Five of them, wearing their ceremonial robes, expressions grave and false-sympathetic.
"Twilight Sovereign," the lead Council member said smoothly. "Alpha Dante. Thank the goddess you're both safe. When we heard about the attack-"
"Save it." I stood, still holding Asher, my voice deadly calm. "You orchestrated this."
"That's quite an accusation-"
"You're the only ones with access to corrupted tracking magic. You sent those rogues. You planted that crystal on my son." I let silver bleed into my eyes. "And you're about to tell me why, or I start tearing through your ranks until someone talks."
The Council members exchanged glances. Not surprised I'd figured it out. Surprised I'd said it publicly.
"We can discuss this privately," one suggested.
"We can discuss this right here, right now, in front of witnesses." I looked at the Alphas slowly filtering back into the hall. "Let everyone hear what the High Council does to children."
Silence stretched. Tense. Dangerous.
Finally, the lead Council member smiled, cold, calculated. "Very well. The High Council wanted to... test the boy's abilities. Ensure he's not a threat to pack stability."
"By trying to kidnap him?"
"By seeing how he responds under pressure." The smile widened. "Impressive power, by the way. Far more than expected from one so young."
"Get out." Dante's voice carried Alpha Command amplified by rage. "Out of my territory. Now."
"We're leaving." The Council members moved toward the exit with unhurried precision. "But the motion regarding your leadership still stands, Alpha Dante. Tomorrow's vote will proceed as planned."
They left. The hall remained silent.
I looked around at the assembled Alphas, at their shocked and frightened faces, at the evidence of corruption laid bare.
Then I looked at Dante.
"We need to talk," I said. "Privately. Now."
He nodded. "My office."
I carried Asher out of the hall, feeling every eye tracking our movement. Behind me, whispers erupted like wildfire.
The Twilight Sovereign and the Crimson Fang Alpha, working together.
Their powerful son, targeted by the High Council.
The corrupted tracking spell, attempted magical kidnapping.
Everything had just changed.
And tomorrow's vote? It wasn't about removing Dante anymore.
It was about choosing sides in a war that had been brewing for twenty-five years.
The High Council versus everyone they'd wronged.
And I was about to make sure everyone knew exactly what was at stake.