Chapter 48 Chapter Forty-Eight
The cell reeked of mildew and regret.
Julian paced, every step as tense and deliberate as a predator in a cage. The gray jumpsuit itched like it was stitched from fiberglass, coarse seams scraping across his skin with every movement. He hadn’t slept in days—not really. Not with the weight pressing against his ribs like an iron brand. Not with his wolf howling relentlessly inside his head.
One week.
Seven days of isolation, of sterile meals and cold stares from guards who once bowed their heads in respect. He’d called his mother every day, clinging to the hope that she’d say the words he needed to hear.
But every time, her voice would land like a lull after a storm.
“It’s not that easy, Julian. We need time. Your father is working on it.”
He’d slammed the phone down more than once, hating the desperation in his own voice.
Because while they worked on it, she was out there.
Kaelani.
His mate. His everything.
Vanished in a burst of violet light, and he hadn’t been able to follow. Hadn’t been able to protect her. Every second in that damn cell was a second lost—a second he could’ve been searching. Fighting. Fixing it.
The guilt was a living thing in his chest. Gnawing. Heavy. Loud.
Where did she go?
Was she safe?
Does she think I abandoned her again?
He raked both hands through his hair, pacing harder.
Then—footsteps.
His head snapped up, hope flaring so fast it hurt.
Two guards approached, keys clinking and expressions unreadable. Julian’s stance tightened, his breath held on a wire.
One of them stopped at the bars and muttered, almost too casually:
“I guess it’s your lucky day.”
The metallic slide of the cell door echoed like thunder.
Julian didn’t resist when the guards stepped into the cell.
One of them grabbed his arm and slapped the cold metal cuffs on his wrists—standard procedure, but it still sparked something primal in his chest. Not fear. Fury. He could’ve broken them both in seconds if he wanted.
“Let’s go,” the guard muttered.
Julian didn’t speak at first, just followed as they led him down the stark corridor. His boots echoed against the concrete, the sound steady… but inside, everything was fraying. Time felt like it had folded in on itself. One week. Too damn long. Too many seconds ticking by without her.
“Where’s Jace?” he asked.
No answer.
He tried again, sharper this time. “Where the hell is my Beta?”
One of the guards scoffed. “Don’t worry,” he said with a smirk. “Your boyfriend’s already waiting for you.”
Julian’s jaw tensed. It took everything in him not to lunge and make that man eat those words with broken teeth.
The chamber doors loomed ahead—tall, imposing, and carved with the ancient symbols of Lycan law. As they opened, a hush rolled over the room like a shift in wind. And there he was.
Jace.
Already kneeling.
The sight of him hit harder than Julian expected. His Beta—his brother in everything but blood—kneeling before the council like a criminal.
Their parents were there. Both sets. His mother’s face was drawn tight with worry, his father’s unreadable. Jace’s parents sat beside them, somber, unmoving.
Julian was marched forward. His heartbeat didn’t quicken—but his rage coiled tighter.
When they reached the center of the chamber, a guard pressed a firm hand between his shoulder blades.
“Kneel,” he barked.
Julian turned his head slowly, his eyes burning into the man like a beam of pure, concentrated hatred.
The guard hesitated—then shoved harder.
Julian dropped to one knee, the metal cuffs catching the light.
He looked directly at the council, not once looking away from the people who’d dared to keep him caged… while the one thing that mattered to him slipped further and further away.
The elder’s voice echoed through the chamber like a gavel striking stone.
“Let’s get right down to business, shall we? The charges brought against Julian Hale and Jace Romano are as follows,” he declared. “Aiding in the escape of a volatile fugitive. Harboring one who defies the Council’s authority. Obstructing an ongoing investigation.”
Julian’s jaw locked. Beside him, Jace didn’t move a muscle.
The elder continued coldly, “Consequently, Julian Hale, you are hereby stripped of your title as Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack. Effective immediately, Alpha James Hale is reinstated as acting Alpha.”
A sharp murmur rippled through the chamber. Julian felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders, heavy and final.
“As for you, Jace Romano—” the elder turned, voice unflinching, “—you are also stripped of rank. Your lineage shall not shield you either. Former Beta Elias Romano is reinstated as Beta of Blackthorn.”
Julian cast a glance toward Jace, whose expression didn’t flinch even as the blow landed.
“Both of you,” the elder said, “may petition for reinstatement if, and only if, you prove yourselves loyal, just, and honorable Lycans in service to this Council and our people. Until then, you are not Alpha. You are not Beta. You are but sons of them. Is that understood?”
Julian’s voice was steady. “Understood.”
Jace nodded beside him. “Understood.”
The elder leaned forward slightly, gaze like a blade. “Furthermore, should either of you become aware of the whereabouts of the fugitive—now officially registered as Kaelani Blake of the Silveredge Pack—you are to report it to this Council immediately.”
“Agreed,” Jace said quickly.
“Of course,” Julian answered, the lie burning on his tongue.
He’d say whatever they wanted to hear. Right now, all that mattered was getting the hell out of this place and finding her. His mate. His reason for standing still while the world tried to crush him.
The Elder’s voice echoed through the chamber, resonant and final.
“This trial is hereby dismissed.”
At once, two guards stepped forward and hoisted Julian and Jace to their feet. The sound of metal unlocking rang out as the cuffs around their wrists were released. Jace flexed his hands, silent. Julian remained still, eyes already drifting toward the Council’s elevated seats.
Their parents moved in, relief etched into every step. Julian’s mother reached for him, but he stepped past her, walking with measured purpose toward the Elder still seated at the center of the Council.
He stopped just before the dais.
“I need a moment with Garrick.”
The Elder slowly removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply.
“You have no business with Alpha Garrick,” he said, tone sharp with fatigue. “He will face his own trial very soon.”
Julian opened his mouth to protest, but before the words could come, a commanding voice cut through the chamber.
“The Elder is absolutely right.”
Alpha James appeared beside him, posture stiff and authoritative. He offered a shallow bow to the Council.
“Thank you for your time, your diligence, and your commitment to justice.”
Without sparing Julian a glance, he placed a firm hand on his shoulder and began guiding him away.
“Let’s go.”
As they walked, James leaned in, his voice low but biting.
“Keep moving. Keep your mouth shut. You’re lucky you’re walking out of here, Julian.”
Julian bristled. His fists curled at his sides, fury simmering just beneath the surface. But he didn’t resist. Not here. Not now. He wouldn’t give the Council another excuse to lock him back in a cell.
Their footsteps echoed through the vast chamber as they neared the exit. Just before reaching the arched doors, a hush swept through the corridor.
Luna Brielle stepped inside.
Her gown was sharp, ceremonial. Her gaze passed over them—dissecting, unreadable. She said nothing, only held her chin high as she moved forward, her silence louder than words.
From behind, the Elder’s voice rang out once more, reverberating into the hall.
“Bring in the Silveredge twins.”
The two families followed a group of guards down a side corridor, away from the main entrance—an intentionally discreet path to avoid the Lycan press.
Outside, a sleek black limo waited, engine humming low. The driver stepped out and opened the door. Without hesitation, both families slipped inside.
The limo pulled away in silence, its tinted windows shielding them from the flashing cameras and shouting reporters just beyond the gates.
But the quiet didn’t last long.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Alpha James snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut glass. “Requesting to speak to Garrick? Do you not think that looks bad enough already?”
Julian didn’t answer. He sat rigid, jaw tight, staring out the window. The gray jumpsuit itched like hell, but not nearly as much as his father’s voice grated on his nerves.
James leaned forward, pressing. “What could you possibly need to say to him? Huh? What was so damn important?”
Julian finally turned, his eyes cold. “I just have questions.”
“Questions?” James scoffed. “About what? That woman? That fugitive?”
Julian didn’t respond, but the flicker in his eyes gave him away.
James let out a cold laugh. “Unbelievable. She’s got your head all twisted. You’ve lost your damn mind over her. You have no idea how many strings I had to pull to get you out of there. Both of you,” he said, gesturing at Jace, who sat silently across from them. “You think the Council just let this slide? I had to call in favors from Alphas I haven’t spoken to in over a decade. I also had to convince the council that you were lying. That you panicked. That you blurted out something reckless just to stall.”
James’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. “Do you have any idea how serious a claim that is? To say someone’s your mate?”
Julian’s head snapped toward him.
“I wasn’t lying about that.”
The car went still. Even the hum of the engine seemed to fade for a beat.
Jace blinked. “Wait—what?”
Julian looked his friend square in the eyes. “Kaelani is my mate.”
Stunned silence.
James sat back, momentarily struck dumb.
And Vanessa—Julian’s mother—brought a hand to her lips. Not in horror, not in outrage, but in something deeper. Her expression softened, eyes shining with a sudden, quiet gravity as she looked at her son—like she was seeing a truth she hadn’t dared hope for.
James didn’t miss a beat.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, voice clipped and cold. “One of the Alphas I called a favor in from? He’s good pals with a Council member. He’s the reason your asses aren’t still in those cells. And guess what—he has a daughter.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed.
James continued, undeterred. “You’ll court her. Show some respect. Do something right for once.”
Julian stared at his father like he was trying to process a sentence spoken in a foreign language. “Did you not just hear what I said?” he bit out. “I have a mate.”
James gave a careless shrug. “If you think I’ll allow you to officially claim her, think again. It’s not happening. She’s on the run for crying out loud.”
The growl that tore through Julian’s chest was raw and visceral. It echoed in the confined space of the limo, his fury no longer simmering but boiling over.
“I don’t need your fucking permission.”
James’s eyes flickered black—his wolf rising without warning.
He leaned forward, a low warning growl building in his throat.
“Oh, but you do,” he said, voice a deadly snarl. “Unless you want to go back to that cell, Julian, I swear to the Goddess—I’ll turn this car right back around. Don’t test me.”
The tension in the limo coiled like a live wire—every breath tight, every second brimming with the threat of violence.
“Enough—both of you.”
Vanessa said firmly, her voice the first to cut through the crackling silence. “We are not doing this here. Everyone’s emotions are high. When we’re all level-headed, we’ll sit down and talk—as a family. But not like this. Not when you’re one second away from tearing each other apart.”
Julian didn’t respond. He just exhaled sharply through his nose and turned back toward the window, rage simmering behind his eyes. There was no getting through to his father. There never had been.
Then another voice broke the silence.
“You won’t be dragging my son into your chaos anymore.”
Jace’s father’s tone was cold and direct, his eyes locked on Julian.
Jace immediately shook his head. “I wasn’t dragged into anything. I acted on instinct. Like any Beta would—I followed my Alpha.”
“Your instinct was wrong,” Elias countered sharply. “A Beta’s job isn’t blind loyalty. It’s discernment. To stand beside his Alpha when he’s right, and to guide him when he loses his way.”
His gaze shifted to James. “We made a mistake. Both of us. Believing they were ready.”
James didn’t argue. He gave a single nod, silent agreement passing between the old friends.
Julian’s eyes flicked toward Jace.
“I’m sorry,” he said through the mind-link. “I never meant for you to get caught up in all this.”
Jace gave a slight shake of his head, responding just as quietly.
“I’m a big boy, Jules. I make my own decisions. And I have no regrets.”
Julian swallowed the lump rising in his throat. “I need to find her, Jace. No matter what it takes. But I won’t drag you into it again. This—what I’m planning—goes directly against the Council’s orders. If you’re seen helping me…”
“They’ll lock us away again.” Jace finished for him. “Maybe for good.”
Julian nodded, jaw tight. He knew what was at stake. But none of it mattered if Kaelani was out there, alone—hunted, hurting.
Jace studied him for a long moment, then smirked.
“Do you remember when we were twelve? That pack warrior training camp in Glacier Hollow?”
Julian’s brow lifted. “The one where I nearly got my ribs cracked by that asshole from the Redfang pack?”
Jace nodded. “You didn’t just let it happen. You stepped between us. Took a hit for me. Said if anyone wanted to take me down, they’d have to go through you first.”
Julian chuckled softly, the memory sharp and warm. “Yeah. I remember.”
“And I told you that day…” Jace’s voice dropped, fierce and unwavering, “…I’d follow you into a burning building.”
Julian’s chest tightened.
Then Jace added, “I can get us out of Blackthorn territory undetected. At dawn.”
Julian turned to him fully, a slow, genuine smile tugging at his lips.
“Then we ride at dawn.”