Chapter 50
The council chamber was silent except for the low hum of voices echoing off the stone walls. Twelve Elders sat in a semicircle, their robes lined with silver thread that gleamed under the torchlight. Their faces were unreadable, ancient, and cold.
Sebastian stood in the center of the room, shoulders squared but tense, his jaw tight. He hated this room — the suffocating weight of judgment, the scent of power that wasn’t his. But he was the Alpha, and he had been summoned.
“Alpha Sebastian Wolfe,” Elder Corvan began, his tone smooth but cutting. “We’ve been informed about your mate’s… condition.”
Sebastian’s expression hardened. “Who told you?”
The Elder arched a brow. “Healer Alden, of course. It’s his duty to report when a Luna’s health threatens the stability of the pack.”
Sebastian’s hands clenched at his sides. “Her condition doesn’t concern the Council.”
“Oh, but it does,” another Elder, female and sharp-eyed, interjected. “A Luna reflects the strength of her Alpha. A weak Luna breeds a weak pack. We cannot afford frailty in leadership — not when tensions with the Eastern clans are rising.”
Sebastian’s eyes flickered with anger. “Rhianna is not frail.”
“She hasn’t shifted, has she?” Corvan pressed. “And word spreads fast, Alpha. She collapsed in the healer’s ward before dawn. Is that the Luna you expect to present during the upcoming summit?”
Sebastian’s silence was answer enough.
From the far end of the hall, a soft voice interrupted — sweet, delicate, and painfully familiar.
“Perhaps there’s another way.”
All heads turned as Brittany stepped forward, her hands folded neatly over her swollen stomach. Her golden hair framed her face perfectly, and she smiled — demure, innocent, rehearsed.
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Elders,” she began smoothly. “But the pack needs stability. I only wish to see it thrive.”
Corvan tilted his head, curious. “And what do you suggest, child?”
She glanced toward Sebastian, her gaze flickering with something between apology and triumph. “The pack needs a Luna who can stand beside its Alpha. One who carries his bloodline — who can ensure his legacy continues.”
The implication was sharp and deliberate.
A murmur spread among the Elders.
“Ah,” said one of them slowly, “you are the one carrying his heir, are you not?”
Brittany placed a hand on her belly, her expression softening. “Yes, Elder. His child grows strong. The future of the pack.”
Sebastian stiffened, fury flashing across his face. “Enough. You don’t speak for me.”
“Then perhaps you should speak for yourself,” Corvan said coolly. “We cannot ignore what’s before us. Your Luna is dying, Sebastian. If she passes before bearing an heir, your pack will be left vulnerable. Brittany may not hold the title, but she holds your future.”
Sebastian’s heart pounded. “You would have me discard Rhianna like she’s—”
“—Already half gone,” the female Elder cut in sharply. “You must think beyond emotion. Think of your pack.”
Brittany stepped closer to him, lowering her gaze. “Sebastian, I don’t want to replace her,” she whispered, her voice trembling just enough to sound believable. “But the Elders are right. The pack needs a Luna who can lead… and a child who can survive.”
Sebastian’s breathing slowed, every muscle in his body coiled. “You will not speak of her like she’s dead.”
Brittany didn’t flinch — instead, she looked at him with feigned pity. “Then save her,” she said softly. “But if you can’t… the pack will move on without you.”
The Elders exchanged silent glances, their verdict clear long before it was spoken.
Corvan leaned back in his chair. “We will give you time, Alpha Wolfe. But not much. Decide wisely who your Luna will be before the summit. The pack deserves stability.”
Sebastian bowed stiffly, barely restraining his rage. “You forget,” he said through gritted teeth, “that I decide what happens in my pack — not you.”
“Then decide quickly,” Corvan replied coldly. “Before your pack decides for you.”
Later — The Healer’s Ward
When Rhianna woke, the room was drenched in late morning light. The familiar smell of herbs and clean linen surrounded her. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming — until she turned her head and saw Healer Aldensitting by the window, his expression grim.
Her voice came out hoarse. “How… long was I asleep?”
“Almost a day,” Alden said quietly. He didn’t turn to face her.
She swallowed hard. “And Sebastian?”
“He went to the Council.”
The words sent a chill through her. “Why?”
Alden hesitated — and that hesitation was enough.
Her chest tightened. “You told them,” she whispered. “Didn’t you?”
He finally looked at her, guilt flickering across his face. “Rhianna, I had no choice. The Council found out about your collapse. They summoned me.”
“You promised me,” she said, voice trembling. “You promised me you wouldn’t tell them.”
“I couldn’t keep it from them any longer,” he said softly. “They demanded answers. They already knew something was wrong.”
Her eyes glistened, pain and anger mixing in her chest. “So now the whole world knows I’m dying.”
Alden’s silence was answer enough.
Her hands trembled as she tried to sit up. “How long?” she asked quietly.
“Rhianna—”
“How long?” Her voice cracked this time, barely above a whisper.
He closed his eyes. “If your heart keeps weakening at this rate… months. Maybe less.”
The world blurred. Her pulse thundered in her ears, but she couldn’t feel her hands anymore. Just the echo of his words.
Months. Maybe less.
Her wolf whimpered weakly in the back of her mind — faint, distant, like a voice fading underwater.
When Alden reached to steady her, she pulled away. “You should’ve let me go in peace,” she whispered. “Now they’ll turn this into a spectacle. They’ll watch me die like it’s duty.”
Alden’s voice cracked softly. “I’m trying to save you.”
“No,” she said bitterly, tears slipping down her cheeks. “You just made sure I die in front of everyone.”
Her breath hitched, and she turned toward the wall, curling into herself as the healer’s quiet sigh filled the room.
Outside, the pack bells tolled in the distance — calling Sebastian back to duty.
And for the first time, Rhianna didn’t know if she wanted him to come back at all.