Chapter 232
Kael's POV
I pushed open the heavy oak doors of the council hall at exactly nine in the morning.
My hands were steady. That surprised me a little.
Inside, the hall was darker than I expected. Heavy curtains blocked most of the sunlight. Only a few shafts of light cut through the gloom, illuminating dust particles floating in the air.
Victoria sat at the head of the long table. Three elders flanked her—Elder Thomas on her right, Elder James and Elder Sarah on her left.
They all turned to look at me.
I'd faced down rogue wolves. I'd killed a man two nights ago. But walking into that room, under the weight of those ancient stares, made my throat tight.
I forced myself to breathe normally. In through the nose. Out through the mouth.
"Elder Thomas. Elder James. Elder Sarah." I nodded to each of them. Kept my voice level. "I need your support."
Elder Thomas was the oldest. Had to be pushing eighty. His face was all deep lines and weathered skin. He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin.
"Young Alpha," he said slowly. His voice sounded like gravel scraping against stone. "Are you prepared to bear this responsibility?"
I walked to the map spread across the table. Forced myself not to clench my fists.
"I am."
"Words are easy." Elder Sarah's voice was sharp. She was younger than Thomas—maybe sixty—but her eyes were harder. "Your father has led this pack for twenty-three years. You're asking us to overturn that. To support a son against his father."
My jaw tightened. I wanted to snap back. Tell her my father had forfeited his right to lead the moment he started trafficking weapons and risking innocent lives.
But I didn't.
Instead, I reached into my briefcase. Pulled out a thick folder. Spread the documents across the table.
"These are records of my father's unauthorized use of pack funds over the past year. And the disaster at the factory this morning is the final proof of his negligence."
Elder James leaned forward. Picked up the top sheet. His eyebrows drew together.
"He's been funneling money into human weapons deals?"
"Yes." I pointed to another document. "And he's been forcing the Harrison factory to exceed safety regulations. Pushing production quotas that put workers at risk. Three hospitalizations in the past month alone."
Victoria spoke for the first time. Her voice was quiet but firm.
"Council law explicitly forbids an Alpha from using pack resources for personal commercial speculation."
Elder Sarah pulled another document toward her. Read it in silence. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Even if we support you," she said finally, "tradition must be observed. You'll need to formally challenge your father for the Alpha position."
I'd expected this.
"I will. The moment he returns, I'll invoke the challenge ritual. But before that happens, I need the council to grant me temporary command authority."
Elder Thomas exchanged a long look with the other elders.
The silence stretched out. My heart was pounding now. I could feel it in my throat.
Finally, Thomas nodded.
"We can authorize that. But you have twenty-four hours to complete the power transfer. If the challenge isn't resolved by then, this will be considered a coup."
Twenty-four hours.
I dropped to one knee. Placed my right fist over my heart.
"I swear on the Harrington name. I will honor the old laws."
The words tasted bitter. Because part of me knew—this was the end of something. Once I did this, once I took that final step, there was no going back.
My father would never forgive me.
Hell, I wasn't sure I'd forgive myself.
But I thought about Lynette. About the way she'd looked at me in that motel room. About the workers at the factory. About all the people my father was willing to sacrifice for profit.
I stood up.
"I'll need the authorization in writing."
---
The pack's military command center was a squat concrete building on the eastern edge of our territory.
I walked in holding the council's signed authorization. My boots echoed on the polished floor.
Sixty guards stood in formation on the training ground outside. I could see them through the glass walls. All of them in tactical gear. All of them watching.
Drake stood at the front of the formation. When he saw me, something flickered across his face.
Approval, maybe.
I stepped out onto the training ground. Held up the document.
"By order of the council, I'm assuming command of the pack guard effective immediately. All personnel will follow my orders."
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then I heard muttering. Saw heads turning.
An older guard—had to be forty-five, gray streaking his temples—stepped forward.
"Alpha Harrington hasn't officially stepped down."
My pulse kicked up. But I kept my face blank.
"According to tradition, you can challenge my authority."
The guard hesitated. I could see him weighing his options.
Then he walked onto the sparring mat in the center of the ground.
"Fair combat."
Fuck.
I handed the document to Drake. Walked onto the mat.
The guard was bigger than me. Broader shoulders. Probably outweighed me by thirty pounds.
But I was faster.
The moment he lunged, I sidestepped. Grabbed his extended arm. Used his momentum against him. Twisted and dropped him face-first onto the mat.
He tried to roll. I planted my knee between his shoulder blades. Grabbed his wrist. Pulled it back at an angle that made him grunt in pain.
"Yield," I said quietly.
He slammed his free hand on the mat twice.
I let him go. Stood up.
My hands were shaking now. Adrenaline flooding my system. But I forced myself to turn slowly. To meet the eyes of every guard watching.
"Anyone else?"
Silence.
Then, one by one, they dropped to one knee.
"We serve you, Alpha."
---
I gathered the senior guards in the command center's war room.
Drake, Cole, and four others I trusted. We stood around a tactical map of the territory.
I pointed to the eastern gate.
"Drake, take a squad and secure this position. Cut off any retreat route if my father tries to leave the territory."
Drake nodded. "Understood."
I moved my finger to another point on the map. "Cole, you're on the western armory. Make sure nobody accesses the weapons cache without my authorization."
Cole's expression didn't change. "Done."
I tapped the council hall.
"I need to meet a key ally. Hold the Council Hall until I return. When my father returns, I'll challenge him directly in front of the council."
Drake frowned. "What if he gets word before he arrives? What if he comes back ready for a fight?"
I looked at him.
"Then we fight."
---
Two hours later, I was driving to the rendezvous point.
An abandoned lumber mill on the edge of our territory. The kind of place nobody went anymore.
When I pulled up, Lynette was already there.
She'd changed out of her work clothes. Jeans. Black jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
She looked up when she heard my car. Walked over.
"How'd it go?" she asked.
I killed the engine. Got out.
"The guard's secured. The elders are backing me. Now I just need to wait for him to come back."
Lynette nodded. "The factory disaster should keep him busy for another three hours. You've got time."
We stood there for a moment. Just looking at each other.
The sun was behind her. It made her hair glow like copper.
I wanted to touch her. Wanted to pull her close and feel something other than this cold, calculated determination that had been driving me all morning.
But I didn't.
Instead, I held out my hand.
"Let's finish this. Together."