Chapter 67 THE COUNCIL
Chapter 67 THE COUNCIL
Luca's POV
The tension hit me the second I walked into the council chamber.
No greetings. No small talk. Just silence thick enough to choke on.
Marcus stood at the head of the table like he already owned the room again. Caden sat in his seat, shoulders tight, jaw locked. Thorne leaned back calmly, fingers steepled like he had all the time in the world.
I took my place beside Caden. “Let’s get this over with.”
Marcus didn’t waste a second. “I’m calling an early vote on the rogue’s exile. One week from today.”
I blinked once. “That contradicts the two-week postponement.”
“It does,” Marcus said smoothly. “Which was granted by my son out of misguided sentiment. I’m overriding it.”
I leaned forward, voice sharp. “You don’t have that authority.”
Caden spoke at the same time, colder. “You don’t have that authority.”
Marcus didn’t even look at me. His eyes stayed on Caden. “I have council support. Thorne?”
Thorne inclined his head slightly. “I second the motion for an immediate vote.”
Of course he did.
I glanced at the other elders. They shifted in their seats, avoiding eye contact. Cowards. Every one of them.
“This violates pack law,” I said, pushing harder. “The postponement was authorized. You can’t just undo it because you don’t like it.”
Marcus finally looked at me, expression bored. “Pack law also allows council override in cases of alpha incompetence.”
The room went still.
Caden’s fingers curled into fists on the table.
Marcus continued, voice calm but heavy with threat. “Which I’m prepared to invoke if necessary.”
There it was.
Vote against him, and he challenges Caden’s right to lead.
I swore under my breath. “You’re blackmailing the council.”
“I’m protecting the pack,” Marcus replied.
“By forcing a pregnant woman out into the cold?” I shot back. “Real noble.”
Thorne’s lips twitched faintly. “Emotions don’t belong in governance, Beta.”
“Neither does corruption,” I snapped.
His eyes flicked to mine, sharp for just a second, then smoothed over again. “Careful.”
Caden finally spoke, voice low and controlled. “We’re not here to trade insults. We’re here to vote.”
Marcus gestured lazily. “Then let’s proceed.”
One of the elders cleared his throat. “We should… discuss the implications—”
“We already have,” Marcus cut in. “The rogue is a liability. The alliance is at risk. This is a simple decision.”
“Nothing about this is simple,” I said.
Marcus ignored me. “All in favor of advancing the vote to one week?”
Thorne raised his hand immediately.
Marcus followed.
A third elder hesitated, then slowly lifted his hand too.
Three.
I exhaled sharply. “Unbelievable.”
“Opposed?” Marcus asked.
I raised my hand without hesitation. “This is reckless and illegal.”
Two other elders joined me, though they looked less certain.
Three against three.
Deadlock.
The room went quiet again.
Marcus leaned back slightly, eyes sliding to Caden. “Well, son? It appears the council is divided.”
I felt the shift immediately. This was where it mattered.
“Default goes to the alpha,” I said quietly, glancing at Caden. “Your call.”
Every eye in the room turned to him.
Caden didn’t move at first. His gaze stayed fixed on the table, his expression unreadable.
Marcus’s voice dropped, softer now, more dangerous. “Do you support your pack’s security… or your personal attachments?”
I clenched my jaw. “Don’t answer that. This isn’t about attachments. It’s about law.”
Caden finally looked up.
For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Conflict. Anger. Something deeper.
Then it was gone.
His voice came out steady.
“Hollow.”
“Vote will proceed in one week,” he said. “As proposed.”
The words hit like a punch.
My chest tightened. “Caden—”
“It’s decided,” Marcus cut in smoothly, satisfaction clear in his tone. “Meeting adjourned.”
Chairs scraped back. The elders stood quickly, eager to escape the tension. Thorne gave me one last look—calm, knowing—before following Marcus out.
Cowards.
All of them.
I stayed where I was, staring at Caden. “What the hell was that?”
He didn’t answer right away. He just sat there, staring at nothing, his hands still clenched tight.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “You just handed them exactly what they wanted.”
He stood abruptly. “Not here.”
I followed him out into the corridor, grabbing his arm before he could walk away. “No. You don’t get to walk off like that. Why did you agree?”
He pulled his arm free, turning to face me. His expression was tight, controlled, but I could see the strain underneath.
“Because if I didn’t,” he said, voice low, “he would’ve invoked council override and removed me.”
I froze. “You’re not sure of that.”
“I am,” he snapped. “You saw them in there. Half of them are already leaning his way. One more push, and I’m out.”
“And you think this is better?” I demanded. “Giving him a week to tighten the noose?”
“It buys time,” he shot back.
“For what?” I asked sharply. “What exactly are you planning to do in one week?”
He opened his mouth, then stopped.
Silence stretched.
“That’s what I thought,” I muttered.
His eyes flashed. “You think I don’t know how bad this is?”
“I think you just made it worse.”
“I kept my position,” he said, stepping closer, voice dropping. “And as long as I’m still alpha, I have some control.”
“Some?” I echoed. “Marcus just walked in there and ran your council like you weren’t even in the room.”
His jaw tightened. “I’m aware.”
“Are you?” I pressed. “Because from where I’m standing, you’re losing ground fast.”
He didn’t deny it.
That was what scared me.
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. “We’re running out of time, Caden. If that vote happens—”
“I know what happens,” he cut in, sharper now.
Silence fell between us again.
Then his voice dropped, quieter this time. “Something’s wrong.”
I frowned. “Yeah. Your father and Thorne are corrupt. We’ve established that.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “It’s more than that.”
I studied him. “What do you mean?”
He hesitated, like he didn’t want to say it out loud. Then, finally, “I can feel it.”
“Feel what?”
He looked at me, frustration clear. “Things don’t add up. My reactions, my decisions… even my memories. It’s like—” He stopped, jaw tightening.
“Like what?” I pushed.
“Like something’s off,” he finished, quieter now. “With my father. With Thorne. With… my own damn mind.”
I stared at him.
For the first time, he didn’t sound like a man in control.
He sounded like someone losing it.
“You’re serious,” I said slowly.
“Yes.”
A beat of silence.
Then I exhaled sharply. “Then we don’t have a week.”
His gaze sharpened. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying if something’s messing with your head, and your father’s pushing this hard, then whatever they’re planning—it’s already in motion.”
His expression darkened. “I figured as much.”
“Then we need answers. Fast.”
“I’m working on it,” he said.
“Not fast enough,” I shot back.
His eyes flashed again, but this time there was no anger behind it. Just tension. Pressure.
“I don’t have all the pieces yet,” he said. “But I will.”
“You better,” I replied. “Because if you don’t, that vote isn’t just going to exile her.”
He knew exactly who I meant.
Caden didn’t respond.
But the way his hands clenched again told me everything.
He knew it too.
For the first time, he didn’t have a plan.