Chapter 130 Council Conspiracy
Ryder POV
The garden ceremony is set up like something from a magazine. White chairs arranged in perfect rows, flowers everywhere, an archway covered in roses where Dominic and Celeste will exchange their official vows. Classical music plays from hidden speakers. Everything designed to look romantic and traditional.
But instead it makes my skin crawl. We take seats in the back row—strategic positioning for a quick exit. Jolie sits between Luna and me, her light dimmed but pulsing with barely contained emotion.
"Are you okay?" I ask quietly.
"No." She doesn't look at me. "But I will be once we're out of here."
Guests fill the garden. I recognize several Council-sympathetic alphas that Luna briefed us on—wolves who lost power when Jolie destroyed the Elders, who would love nothing more than to see her brought down.They're all watching her.
"They're enjoying this." Knox murmurs from my other side. "Watching her sit here after this morning's humiliation."
"Let them enjoy it." Cass is scanning for threats. "In a few hours, we'll be gone and they'll have nothing."
Music swells as everyone stands. Celeste appears at the end of the aisle, and I have to admit—she looks stunning. White dress that probably cost a fortune, her hair is perfect, makeup flawless. She walks with confident grace, smiling at guests.
But it's her behavior that makes me tense. She's not walking like a reserved bride. She's moving like a predator who's already won.
When she reaches the front where Dominic waits, she doesn't just take his hand. She presses against him, one hand sliding up his chest in a gesture that's intimate enough to make several guests shift uncomfortably.
"Is she" Phoenix starts.
"Yeah." Luna's voice is tight. "She's making a show of it."
The officiant begins the ceremony, but Celeste barely seems to be listening. She keeps touching Dominic—fingers trailing along his jaw, hand resting possessively on his shoulder, body language that's more seductive than romantic. And she keeps glancing back at Jolie.
"She's doing this on purpose." I feel Jolie tense beside me. "She's being deliberately provocative."
"To humiliate you." Luna watches carefully. "Showing everyone that she won—she gets to be Lady of this pack, she gets power and status, and you get nothing."
When the officiant asks Dominic to kiss his bride, Celeste turns it into something more. She pulls him into a kiss that's too deep, too passionate for a public ceremony. Her hands slide into his hair, body pressing against his in ways that make this feel more like a bedroom than a wedding.
Several guests look away, uncomfortable while others watch with fascination. And Celeste's eyes are open, locked on Jolie the entire time.
The message is clear: I won. I took everything from you, and I'm going to enjoy it.
"She's twenty-five." Jolie's voice is hollow beside me. "Almost the same age as me. And she's performing for everyone, showing them she's not just his wife but his"
"Don't." I cut her off. "Don't let her get to you, thats what she wants."
When they finally break apart, Celeste leans in to whisper something to Dominic. Whatever she says makes him smile—satisfied and possessive. Then she turns to face the gathered guests, her hand still intimately placed on Dominic's chest.
"Thank you all for celebrating with us." Her voice carries perfectly. "I'm honored to become Lady Rys, to stand beside such a powerful alpha, and to help guide this pack into the future."
Her eyes find mine. Then shift to Jolie with deliberate slowness.
"I look forward to building relationships with all of Dominic's family." Her smile is sharp. "Even the estranged ones. After all, we're almost practically the same age. I'm sure we'll have so much to bond over."
The implication hangs in the air. She's rubbing it in—that she's young enough to be his daughter but powerful enough to be his equal, while Jolie who is his actual family gets nothing.
"I also want to thank those who helped make today possible." Celeste continues. "The Whitmore Pack for their generous support. The Council representatives who've shown such faith in our union. And of course, my dear stepdaughter for providing such entertaining breakfast conversation this morning."
Polite laughter ripples through the guests. Jolie's silver light flares, and I feel her rage spike through our bond.
"Easy." I squeeze her hand. "Don't give them the satisfaction."
"She's making me a joke." Jolie's voice shakes. "Standing up there with my father, acting like—like she's marking territory. Making sure everyone knows she won and I lost."
"She hasn't won anything." Knox leans forward. "She got played by the Council just like you did, she just doesn't know it yet."
The ceremony concludes with another too-intimate kiss as Guests applaud while music starts playing.Dominic and Celeste walk back down the aisle together, and as they pass our row, Celeste leans toward Jolie.
"Enjoy the reception, stepdaughter." Her voice is sugar-sweet. "We'll have so much time to get to know each other now that I'm family."
She presses closer to Dominic, her hand sliding possessively around his waist in a way that makes her intentions crystal clear. Then they're past us, heading toward the reception area.
"I'm going to be sick." Jolie stands abruptly. "I need—I need air."
"Reception is next." Gio appears beside us, speaking quietly. "You need to at least make an appearance or they'll know something's wrong. Thirty minutes, then we can extract."
"Thirty minutes of watching that?" Jolie gestures after the newlyweds.
"Thirty minutes of playing your role." He meets her eyes. "You're the Moonfire Luna. You don't run from social discomfort. You face it, survive it, and walk away on your terms."
He's right. Running now would confirm everything Celeste implied—that Jolie is weak, defeated, unable to handle seeing her father with someone else.
"Fine." Jolie straightens her shoulders. "Thirty minutes then we're gone."
The reception is set up in the main hall. Tables laden with food, champagne flowing, music playing as guests mill around congratulating the happy couple and Celeste is in her element.
She stays close to Dominic, always touching him—hand on his arm, fingers trailing across his back, pressing against his side. Making their physical connection impossible to ignore.
Every time someone approaches to congratulate them, she makes sure to emphasize how happy she is, how perfect this union is, how she can't wait to help lead the pack into a new era. And her eyes keep finding Jolie across the room.
"She's performing for her." Luna observes. "Every touch, every intimate gesture. She's making sure Jolie sees exactly what she lost—not just her father's approval, but his affection. His desire. Everything Jolie never had."
"It's sick." Phoenix looks disgusted. "She's could be his daughter."
"That's the point." I watch Celeste laugh at something Dominic says, her hand sliding up his chest again. "She's showing everyone that she has power Jolie never did. That she can seduce and control where Jolie could only suffer."
"Ten more minutes." Cass checks his watch. "Then we extract regardless of optics."
A Council representative approaches us, an older wolf with calculating eyes.
"Luna Kane." He inclines his head. "Quite the eventful weekend. First the breakfast incident, now this lovely ceremony. You must be feeling rather conflicted."
"Not particularly." Jolie's voice is cold. "I came to witness my father's wedding. That's complete now I'm leaving."
"So soon?" He looks disappointed. "The Council representatives were hoping to speak with you about this morning's demonstration of your abilities."
"There's nothing to discuss." She turns to leave.
"We simply want to understand." He moves to block her path. "Your empathic gift is extraordinary. The way you reached into Celeste's conditioning, tried to force emotions on her—fascinating. We'd love to study how such abilities work."
"I'm not a laboratory specimen." Jolie's light flickers. "Now move."
"Of course, of course." But he doesn't budge. "Though I should mention—there are concerns. Using divine power to manipulate unwilling participants, trying to break someone's psychological conditioning without consent, these are serious ethical violations."
"She consented." I step forward. "She reached for Jolie's hand voluntarily."
"After sustained psychological pressure." He pulls out a tablet, showing the edited footage. "This video tells a different story."
"That's doctored." Luna snaps.
"Is it?" He smiles. "Either way, the Council remnants have concerns. We'll need Luna Kane to answer questions about appropriate use of divine power. Perhaps in a more controlled environment."
"Not happening." I move between him and Jolie. "We're leaving. Now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible." He gestures, and suddenly guards are moving to surround us. "Luna Kane is being detained for questioning by order of the Council Oversight Committee."
"What Oversight Committee?" Knox demands. "Jolie destroyed the Council."
"The Elders, yes." He's still smiling. "But the administrative structure remains. Someone needs to ensure divine wolves don't abuse their power. And after this morning's incident, we have jurisdiction."
This is it. The trap Gio warned us about, springing early.
"Jolie." Gio's voice comes through our comms. "Guards are moving to block exits. They moved up the timeline, you need to run now."
Jolie's slight flares bright, and several guards actually step back. "You want to detain me?" Her voice carries divine authority. "You want to study how my abilities work? Here's a demonstration."
Her empathy gift surges outward like a wave. Every wolf in the immediate area gasps, suddenly feeling what Jolie feels—rage at manipulation, grief at betrayal, determination to escape regardless of cost.
The guards hesitate, overwhelmed by the emotional feedback.
"Run!" Cass is already moving, clearing a path.
We bolt for the exit, Jolie's power keeping guards confused and off-balance. Phoenix leads us through service corridors, Gio's intel guiding our path.
Behind us, alarms sound as shouts echo through the estate.
"Bikes are in the east garage!" Gio's voice comes through comms. "I'm already there, the engines are running!"
We burst into the garage to find six motorcycles ready while Gio is on the seventh.
"Go!" He kicks his bike into gear. "I'll cover the rear!"
We mount up and ride, engines roaring as we blast through the estate gates. Guards scramble but we're already past them, racing toward the mountain roads. In my mirrors, I see the Nightshade Estate receding. See figures running after us, too slow to catch up.
And standing in the main entrance, I see Celeste watching us leave. Even from this distance, I can see her satisfied smile. She got exactly what she wanted—proof that Jolie is dangerous and unstable, justification for Council action, and a bride's crown as her reward.