Chapter 63
Ioannis felt Nickolas's satisfaction flowing through their bond as Marcus's confident façade began to crack. The enforcer's eyes darted briefly toward the chamber doors, calculating.
"You've been meeting with human military officials," Alpha Darkwood continued relentlessly. "Not just tonight, while you were supposedly representing our pack at the ceremonial sealing, but for months. Planning our subjugation. Arranging for containment facilities designed specifically for our kind."
Marcus's expression hardened, the diplomatic mask falling away completely. "Progress requires vision, Alpha. Vision you've consistently lacked."
A collective intake of breath rippled through the Beta Council at this open disrespect. Alpha Darkwood remained unnaturally calm, his weathered face revealing nothing as he studied his enforcer. "When did you decide that subjugation by humans was preferable to our ancient traditions?"
"Subjugation?" Marcus's laugh held a bitter edge. "I offered them a partnership. Controlled integration that would preserve our strength while granting us access to their resources, their technology." He gestured dismissively at the assembled council. "How long before humans discover us on their own? Their surveillance grows more sophisticated each year. Their population expands into our territories. We can choose to meet them as equals or be hunted to extinction."
Through the observation slits, Ioannis watched several council members shift uncomfortably. Marcus was playing to their fears, fears that many packs secretly harboured about human encroachment. Through their bond, she felt Nickolas's growing tension, his tactical mind recognising the danger of Marcus's persuasive rhetoric.
"Partnership requires consent," Alpha Darkwood replied, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of leadership. "Not secret arrangements made without pack knowledge. Not containment facilities designed for our kind."
"Temporary measures only," Marcus countered smoothly. "For those unable to adapt to the new reality. The strong would thrive under my leadership."
"Your leadership?" Alpha Darkwood's eyebrows rose. "You speak as if Forest Mountain were already yours to command."
Marcus straightened, something shifting in his posture, pride overcoming caution. "It should be. I've spent years strengthening our position while you clung to outdated traditions. The humans respect strength, Alpha. They respect what I can offer them."
"And what exactly have you offered them, Enforcer Thorne?" Alpha Darkwood asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
Marcus's smile held no warmth. "Access to what they most desire, our genetics. Our abilities. Controlled breeding programs to create the next generation of warriors. In exchange for territory, autonomy, and protection for those who follow me."
Gasps echoed through the ceremonial chamber. Even those council members who had maintained careful neutrality now stared at Marcus with undisguised horror. Through their bond, Ioannis felt Nickolas's fury building like a gathering storm, his protective instincts surging at the casual way Marcus spoke of breeding programs.
"You would make us laboratory specimens," Alpha Darkwood stated, revulsion evident in his voice. "Reduce our kind to experiments."
"I would ensure our survival!" Marcus snapped, his diplomatic mask cracking further. "While you and the other traditional Alphas lead us to extinction through isolation and stagnation."
Alpha Darkwood rose from his ceremonial seat, his powerful frame radiating authority. "You speak of survival, yet your actions threaten the very essence of what we are." He gestured to the documents spread before him. "These plans detail complete subjugation. Tracking implants. Reproductive controls. Military oversight of all pack territories."
Marcus's eyes darted around the chamber, assessing his support among the members of the Beta council that was meant to be on his side of this divide of leadership. Although not one of them who said that they were willing to stand with him joined him in the centre of the room.
“It appears, Marcus, your allies have had a change of heart.” Alpha Darkwood noted, his eyes watchful, “or perhaps they were not so completely informed of the full details of what you and your human friends had planned for us all. It seems that you might have misunderstood the room.”
One of the Betas spoke to a man close to his forties, “Marcus, what breeding program? This isn’t what we discussed at all. What you have agreed to with the humans sounds like you are going to come into our homes and take our mates away from us and our daughters as well, and turn them into what humans call prostates. No he-wolf alive would allow their mate fated or chosen to be taken away to be raped to do nothing more than make pups that the Goddess would likely not grant a wolf to.”
“You seem to think I care about what the Goddess approves of. She is nothing but a myth that we tell our pups to make them feel better about themselves. That the Goddess blesses us all with a fated mate, however, most of us will never meet what foolishness.” Marcus scoffed.
“Is that so? My ex-fated mated interesting you feel that way. Or is that the real reason that you rejected me as your mate? And then had my mother and me exiled?” Sera’s voice rang out through the room.
“Sera, how did you get in here?” Alpha Drakwood’s eyes narrowed at her.
Nickolas and Ioannis were surprised to see her back within Forest Mountain, but it seemed it was time that she cleared the air. However, it also explained why she agreed to the job as well. As they watched on through the slits.
Sera just shrugged, ”Through the door just like everyone else, Alpha, and to watch justice unfold.”
“You little bitch,” Marcus’s eyes lit up with hate as he spoke, while it burned in his eyes like fire dancing on hot coals, “I should have killed you instead of just rejecting a loser she-wolf such as yourself. The only she wolf worthy of being my mate, fated or chosen, is not mated to that useless Alpha Heir Nickolas Harvey of the Storm Striders Pack, no matter that once I kill him at the challenge, I can take what once belonged to him by taking his mate as my own.”
Shocked gasps rippled throughout the chamber. This wasn’t just to show off in front of the humans but to kill a she-wolf's mate just to take her for himself, which was against the Goddess’s teachings. The revelation hit both Ioannis and Nickolas at full force like a slap to the face. This was the real reason he had attacked her coming-of-age and prevented their mating, not due to the power imbalance as Marcus claimed, but to claim her for himself.