Chapter 27 – The Pack Meeting
Rhianna’s POV
The council hall smelled of pinewood and wax candles.
Long wooden benches lined both sides of the room, filled with pack members whispering to one another.
Every whisper felt like it was aimed at me.
I sat stiffly near the front, my palms flat on my knees.
My heart kept beating too fast, as if it already knew what was coming.
Sebastian stood in his Alpha seat at the center table, shoulders squared, face unreadable.
His presence usually made me feel safe.
Not today.
Hardin sat two seats away from him, leaning back in his chair as if the whole meeting bored him.
I kept my eyes fixed on the polished floor so I wouldn’t accidentally meet his gaze.
I could feel it on me anyway — heavy, curious, too intense.
The murmurs in the room stopped when Elder Calder, the oldest of the council, cleared his throat.
“Alpha Sebastian,” he began, “we are here to discuss urgent matters concerning the future of this pack.”
Sebastian gave a short nod.
His voice was calm but low when he answered.
“Go ahead, Elder.”
I shifted uncomfortably, my wolf restless beneath my skin.
Something in the air felt charged.
Then the hall doors opened.
Every head turned.
Brittany walked in, her dress the color of fresh snow, her hair loose around her shoulders.
Her steps were slow but graceful, one hand resting lightly over her slightly swollen stomach.
My breath caught even though I’d known for weeks.
Knowing is one thing; seeing her here, like this, in front of everyone, was another.
Whispers rose at once.
“Is that Brittany…?”
“She looks—”
“Is she…?”
I stared down at my hands, trying not to let my expression betray anything.
Brittany stopped in front of the council table and bowed her head slightly, her free hand still resting protectively on her belly.
“Elders. Alpha. I have news that concerns all of you.”
Sebastian’s brow furrowed.
His jaw tightened as if he already guessed what she was about to say.
Elder Calder gestured for her to continue.
“The child I carry,” Brittany said clearly, “is Sebastian’s. The future heir of this pack.”
The hall exploded into gasps and whispers.
Some of the warriors even stood halfway up, exchanging looks.
My chest squeezed so tight it hurt to breathe.
I tried to keep my face calm, but I could feel the heat rising up my neck.
I’d heard these words in private before, but hearing them spoken in front of everyone — like a declaration, like a challenge — burned worse than any wound.
I could feel Hardin’s eyes on me.
I kept my gaze fixed on the floor, wishing it would open and swallow me.
Sebastian’s POV
The hall’s noise roared in my ears.
I clenched my fists against the table to keep my wolf from breaking through.
I had warned Brittany not to make a scene.
But here she was, announcing it in front of the whole pack.
“Enough,” I said, my voice cutting through the noise.
The hall quieted at once.
I looked at Brittany, trying to keep my tone level.
“You had no right to announce it this way.”
Her chin lifted slightly, eyes shining with false innocence.
“I only thought the pack deserved to know who will carry your heir.”
My gaze shifted instinctively to Rhianna.
She sat frozen, staring at the floor, her shoulders drawn tight.
My chest ached at the sight, but I couldn’t find the right words — not here, not now.
Elder Calder spoke again.
“This news changes the future of the pack. A true heir is no small matter.
But it also raises questions about leadership and unity.
The Luna must be strong enough to stand beside the Alpha.”
I stiffened.
I knew where this was going.
Rhianna’s POV
The elder’s words felt like stones thrown at me.
I lifted my head a little, meeting his gaze even though my throat felt dry.
“I’m still the Luna,” I said softly, but the words came out steadier than I expected.
A few council members exchanged doubtful looks.
“For now,” Calder said. “But the pack cannot afford weakness.
A Luna unable to carry an heir—”
“That’s enough.” Sebastian’s voice cut in, sharp enough to silence the elder.
For a heartbeat, relief loosened my chest.
But it lasted only a moment.
Brittany’s lips curved in the smallest, smug smile.
She tilted her head toward me.
“I don’t mean to cause pain, Rhianna. But the pack deserves a future.
I’m only giving Sebastian what he deserves.”
Her words scraped raw against my heart.
I forced myself not to react.
Not here, not in front of all these eyes.
Hardin’s POV
From where I sat, I could see every flicker in Rhianna’s face — the way she kept her chin up even when her hands trembled on her lap.
I hated seeing her like that.
Sebastian didn’t look at her enough.
He didn’t see how close she was to breaking.
If I’d been in his place, I would have said something more than just ‘enough’.
But I stayed quiet, jaw tight, because this wasn’t my fight.
Not yet.
Sebastian’s POV
I rose from my seat and faced the council.
“I will not allow anyone to humiliate my Luna in this hall again,” I said.
“The child will be provided for. But Rhianna remains Luna. That is final.”
A murmur spread through the benches — some in agreement, some not.
I ignored them.
Brittany lowered her gaze, but I saw the flash of disappointment before she masked it.
Rhianna’s POV
The meeting dragged on with other topics — patrol schedules, border disputes — but I barely heard them.
All I felt was the weight of stares on my back.
When the meeting finally ended, I was the first to rise.
I wanted to get out before anyone tried to speak to me.
As I passed Hardin’s seat, I could feel his gaze follow me again.
It was steady, almost protective, but it made my skin prickle.
Outside the Hall
The cool evening air hit my face like a splash of water.
I inhaled deeply, trying to shake off the heaviness in my chest.
Behind me I heard footsteps — Sebastian’s.
His voice softened when he spoke.
“Rhianna—”
“Not now,” I said quietly, not trusting my voice.
I kept walking.
I didn’t want him to see the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes.
Hardin Alone
Long after everyone had left, I stayed behind in the empty hall, leaning against the doorframe.
The echoes of the council’s whispers still clung to the air.
I clenched my jaw.
This pack was falling apart, and if Sebastian kept letting things slide, someone else would eventually take the Alpha seat.
For some reason, the thought of Rhianna standing alone in that storm bothered me more than it should have.