Chapter 67 The Summit Begins
The neutral territory estate appeared through the morning mist like something from another era.
Massive stone walls surrounded the property, ancient and imposing. Iron gates opened slowly as their vehicles approached, revealing manicured grounds that stretched for acres. The main building was a manor house built in classical werewolf architecture, all dark stone and tall windows designed to intimidate visitors.
Young Sera felt her stomach clench as they drove through the gates.
This was real. This was happening. There was no turning back now.
“Breathe,” Kai whispered beside her, his hand finding hers. “Just breathe.”
Young Sera forced air into her lungs, trying to calm the panic rising in her chest. Through the vehicle windows, she could see other cars already parked. Other delegations already arrived. Alphas from territories across the continent, all gathered to witness what would happen today.
The vehicle stopped in front of the main entrance. Kael exited first, moving with the easy confidence of someone who had attended dozens of these summits. Lyra followed, her hand resting casually on the weapon at her hip, amber eyes scanning for threats. Garrett emerged from the second vehicle, his massive frame drawing immediate attention from the warriors stationed at the entrance.
Young Sera hesitated before stepping out. Once she left this vehicle, everything would change. She would be visible. Vulnerable. Subject to judgment from people who had already formed opinions based on rumours and lies.
“You can do this,” Maya said from behind her. “I believe in you.”
Young Sera stepped out into the cold morning air.
Immediately, she felt eyes on her. Warriors from other packs are turning to stare. Whispered conversations stop mid-sentence. The weight of attention presses down like a physical force.
She wanted to make herself small. Wanted to hunch her shoulders and lower her gaze the way she had done for eighteen years. But Lyra’s training echoed in her mind. Stand tall. Shoulders back. Chin level. Occupy space without apology.
Young Sera straightened her spine and walked toward the entrance with deliberate steps, Kai on one side and Maya on the other.
The entrance hall was enormous, filled with Alphas and their delegations. The air was thick with competing scents and underlying tension. Dominance displays happen in subtle ways. Alphas position themselves in certain locations to demonstrate status. The Warriors are standing at strategic points to show strength.
Young Sera recognised some faces from the research she had done. Alpha Thomas Reed was there, the unmated Alpha who had been obsessed with her weeks ago. He watched her enter with hungry eyes that made her skin crawl. Alpha Elena Cross stood near a window, the omega who had once been engaged to Kael before Isabelle. Her expression was cold and calculating as she studied young Sera.
And there, standing in a group of Alphas near the centre of the hall, was Victor Kane.
He looked exactly like his photographs. Tall and powerfully built, with dark hair greying at the temples and sharp features that might have been handsome if not for the cruelty in his eyes. He wore expensive clothes that spoke of wealth and status. Everything about him screamed power and danger.
Victor noticed young Sera’s entrance immediately. His lips curved into a smile that did not reach his eyes. He said something to the Alphas around him and they all turned to look at her. Assessing. Judging. Already forming opinions.
“Ignore them,” Kael said quietly beside her. “They are trying to intimidate you. Do not give them the satisfaction of seeing it work.”
Young Sera forced herself to look away from Victor and survey the rest of the hall. Her father was here too, standing with a smaller group near the far wall. Marcus Blackwood looked composed and concerned, playing the role of worried father perfectly for anyone who did not know the truth.
When Marcus saw young Sera, his expression shifted into something that looked like relief. He started moving toward her, clearly intending to make a scene about being reunited with his daughter.
Garrett stepped smoothly into Marcus’s path, his massive body creating an unmovable barrier.
“I would not,” Garrett said quietly, his voice carrying just enough threat to stop Marcus in his tracks. “The Luna Queen is not receiving visitors before the formal session begins.”
Marcus’s mask slipped for just a moment. Anger flashed across his features before he controlled it. “I just want to speak with my daughter.”
“Your daughter has made it clear she does not want to speak with you. Respect that or I will make you respect it.”
Other Alphas were watching now. Witnessing the confrontation. Marcus realised he could not push without looking aggressive in front of an audience. He backed down with visible effort, returning to his group while shooting young Sera a look that promised retribution later.
“Thank you,” young Sera whispered to Garrett.
“That is what I am here for. He will not touch you. None of them will.”
A bell chimed throughout the hall, signalling that the formal session would begin in ten minutes. The various delegations began moving toward the main conference room, a massive space designed specifically for summit gatherings.
Young Sera followed Kael through the crowd, acutely aware of how many eyes tracked her movement. Whispers followed in her wake.
“That is her? She looks so young.”
“I heard she seduced the Alpha King. Used omega manipulation.”
“Marcus says she was kidnapped. Brainwashed.”
“Look at her arms. Are those scars?”
Young Sera’s sleeves covered most of her scars but a few were visible on her wrists. She resisted the urge to pull her sleeves down further. Let them look. Let them see the evidence of what her father had done.
The conference room was arranged with a large circular table in the centre. No head position, suggesting equality among the gathered Alphas, though everyone knew certain seats carried more status than others. Around the outer edge of the room were chairs for advisors and witnesses. Pack members who had the right to attend but not to speak unless called upon.
Kael moved to one of the high-status seats, claiming his position as Alpha King of the Northern Kingdom. Young Sera hesitated, unsure where she should sit. As Luna Queen in training, did she sit at the main table? Or did she sit with the advisors?
“Here,” Kael said, gesturing to the seat directly beside him. “You sit beside me as my equal. As the Luna Queen.”
Young Sera sat down slowly, feeling the weight of that statement settle over the room. Claiming the seat beside Kael was claiming her position officially. Announcing to everyone gathered that she was not just an omega companion but a leader in her own right.
Victor Kane sat directly across from them, his position strategically chosen to create confrontation. He looked at young Sera with calculating eyes, clearly assessing her as a threat or an opportunity.
Marcus sat several seats away, close enough to be part of the main circle but not close enough to hold significant power. His expression was carefully neutral but young Sera could see the anger simmering beneath the surface.
The room filled quickly. Twenty-three Alphas total, plus their advisors and key pack members. Nearly a hundred werewolves packed into one space, all watching each other with varying degrees of suspicion and political calculation.
An elderly Alpha named Richard Stone called the meeting to order. He was neutral territory, the owner of this estate, and by tradition served as moderator for summit gatherings.
“We are gathered to address concerns raised by Alpha Victor Kane regarding the stability of the Northern Kingdom’s leadership,” Richard began, his voice formal and measured. “Victor, you called this summit. Present your case.”
Victor stood, commanding attention immediately. He moved with practised ease, someone comfortable performing for an audience.
“Thank you, Richard. I stand before this council with deep concern for the safety and stability of our territories.” Victor’s voice was smooth and reasonable, designed to sound like genuine worry rather than political manoeuvring. “Alpha King Kael Thorne has suffered tremendous tragedy. The murder of his true mate five years ago destabilised his wolf. This is a documented fact, not speculation.”
Kael’s jaw tightened but he said nothing, letting Victor continue.
“Since that tragedy, Kael has attempted to bond with twelve omegas. All twelve died because his wolf could not control itself during the mating process. Twelve deaths. Twelve families destroyed. And yet Kael continued trying, putting more innocent omegas at risk.”
Murmurs rippled through the gathered Alphas. Some looked sympathetic to Victor’s argument. Others looked sceptical.
“Now we are told that a thirteenth omega has survived,” Victor continued, his eyes moving to young Sera. “This young woman, barely eighteen years old, whom Kael claims as his heir and Luna Queen. But what do we really know about her? What do we know about how she came to be in the Northern Kingdom?”
Young Sera felt her heart racing. This was the setup. Victor was building toward something.
“Her father, Alpha Marcus Blackwood, has brought serious allegations to my attention. Allegations that his daughter was taken from his territory under pretences. That she was manipulated and potentially coerced into staying against her will. That Kael used his power and resources to turn a vulnerable omega against her own family.”
Marcus stood when Victor gestured to him, playing his role perfectly. “I only want my daughter back,” Marcus said, his voice breaking with false emotion. “I want her safe. Want her away from a situation that has already killed twelve omegas before her. Is that so wrong? To want to protect your own child?”
Young Sera felt rage building in her chest. The performance was masterful. Marcus looked like a concerned father. Sounded like a man driven by love rather than control. Anyone who did not know the truth would believe him completely.
“These are serious allegations,” Richard said, looking between Victor, Marcus, and Kael. “Kael, how do you respond?”
Kael stood slowly, his grey eyes cold and hard. “Every word Victor just said is technically true and completely misleading. Yes, my wolf was unstable after Isabelle’s murder. Yes, twelve omegas died before young Sera survived. These are facts I have never hidden or denied. But Victor neglects to mention that each of those omegas volunteered. Knew the risks. Made informed choices.”
“Did they really?” Victor interrupted. “Or were they pressured by the honour of being chosen by an Alpha King? Did they truly understand they were walking to their deaths?”
“They understood perfectly,” Lyra said sharply from her position behind Kael. “I personally explained the risks to each of them. Gave them opportunities to walk away. Some did walk away. The ones who stayed made informed choices as adults.”
“And what about her?” Victor gestured to young Sera. “Did she make an informed choice? Or was she a desperate girl escaping an abusive situation, willing to accept any alternative no matter how dangerous?”
The room went silent. Everyone turned to look at young Sera.
This was it. The moment she had been dreading and preparing for. The moment when she had to speak in front of dozens of powerful Alphas and defend her own choices.
Young Sera stood slowly, feeling every eye in the room fix on her. Her hands wanted to shake. Her voice wanted to fail. Every instinct told her to sit back down and let someone else handle this.
But her grandmother had not given up existence itself so young Sera could hide when things got difficult.
“You are right about one thing,” young Sera said, her voice quieter than she wanted but steady. “I was desperate. I was escaping an abusive situation. I would have accepted almost any alternative to staying in my father’s house one more day.”
Marcus’s expression tightened. He had not expected her to admit that so directly.
“But you are wrong about everything else,” young Sera continued, forcing herself to look at Victor directly. “I was told exactly what I was walking into. Kael explained about his unstable wolf. About the twelve omegas who had died. About the test I would have to pass. He gave me a choice. Stay with my father or take the risk. I chose the risk.”
“Because you were manipulated,” Marcus interjected. “Because you were too young and too damaged to make a rational decision.”
Young Sera turned to face her father, feeling rage surge through her veins. “You want to talk about manipulation? About damage? Let us talk about who actually damaged me.”
She pushed up her sleeves slowly, revealing the scars that covered her arms. Gasps echoed through the room. Even Alphas who had seen terrible violence looked disturbed by the pattern of old injuries.
“These scars came from you,” young Sera said to Marcus, her voice growing stronger. “From eighteen years of systematic abuse. From beatings with belts and fists and whatever object you could grab. From cigarette burns when I displeased you. From being locked in basements and starved as punishment. You created this damage. Not Kael. You.”
Marcus’s face turned red. “You are exaggerating normal discipline into abuse. I was teaching you respect.”
“You were teaching me that I was worthless. That I deserved pain. That my life only had value if I could be sold for profit. Which you did. You sold me to Kael for gold. Took payment. Made a contract. And now you stand here pretending to be a concerned father when everyone in this room knows you saw me as property to be traded.”
The room erupted into whispered conversations. Alphas are arguing with each other. Some looked horrified. Others look sceptical.
Victor held up his hand for silence. “Even if we accept that Marcus is not a good father, that does not address the central concern. Kael’s wolf is unstable. The Northern Kingdom is vulnerable. And this young woman, regardless of her tragic past, is too inexperienced to serve as Luna Queen.”
“How do you measure experience?” Kael challenged. “By age? Young Sera has survived more in eighteen years than most Alphas survive in a lifetime. By political skill? She just defended herself against coordinated attacks from you and her father without preparation. By strength? She refused the Void Lords when they offered her unlimited power. Tell me, Victor, how many people in this room would have the strength to refuse that offer?”
The mention of the Void Lords created another wave of shocked whispers. Not everyone knew about that confrontation. Those who did looked at young Sera with new respect.
“The Void Lords?” Alpha Thomas Reed spoke up. “Is this true? They made contact?”
“They offered young Sera power beyond measure,” Garrett said, standing from his position. “Power to reshape reality itself. She refused because accepting would have meant becoming something that served their interests rather than protecting the people she loves. That kind of moral clarity is exactly what leadership requires.”
“Or it shows poor judgment,” Victor countered smoothly. “Refusing power that could strengthen the Northern Kingdom against threats like the one I am describing right now.”
“The power came with strings,” young Sera said, her voice cutting through the noise. “Strings that would have turned me into a weapon for entities that do not care about werewolf packs or omega rights or any of the things my grandmother spent thirty-two years building. I refused because some prices are too high, regardless of what you gain.”
Victor looked frustrated for the first time. Young Sera was not following his script. Was not behaving like a frightened girl he could easily dismiss.
“This is all very dramatic,” Victor said, changing tactics. “But it does not change facts. Kael’s wolf killed twelve omegas. That pattern suggests instability that puts the entire Northern Kingdom at risk. I am calling for a formal vote. Either Kael steps down voluntarily or this council removes him from power for the safety of all our territories.”
“You cannot call that a vote,” Lyra snapped. “Summit law requires proof of an active threat. Kael has not harmed anyone. His wolf has been stable for weeks. You are manufacturing a crisis to justify a power grab.”
“Am I?” Victor smiled coldly. “Because I have witnesses who say otherwise. Who reports that Kael’s wolf nearly lost control as recently as two weeks ago during a confrontation with the Void Lords.”
He was twisting the truth. Making it sound like Kael was dangerous when the reality was far more complicated.
“Context matters,” young Sera said firmly. “Kael maintained control during an attack by cosmic entities that would have broken most Alphas completely. His wolf was stressed but never out of control. Using that as evidence of instability is dishonest and you know it.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed. “You are very confident for someone who has been part of this world for less than a month. Very certain of yourself for an omega who should be showing proper respect to her betters.”
The insult was deliberate. Designed to provoke young Sera into losing her temper. To prove she was too emotional and unstable to lead.
Young Sera felt her wolf stir inside her. Felt anger wanting to explode. But she remembered Garrett’s lessons about political combat. About knowing when to push and when to yield.
“My worth is not determined by how much respect I show to people who do not deserve it,” young Sera said calmly. “And I am confident because I know what I survived to be standing here. You can dismiss me as just an omega if that makes you feel powerful. But everyone in this room knows that omegas who survive impossible things are the most dangerous kind of leader. Because we have nothing left to lose.”
The room went completely silent.
Young Sera had just challenged Victor directly. Had refused to back down. Had claimed her power in front of witnesses.
Victor’s expression darkened with barely controlled rage. “We will see about that. Richard, I am formally calling for a vote. Does this council believe Kael Thorne is fit to continue leading the Northern Kingdom, or should he be removed from power?”
Richard looked troubled but nodded. “The vote is called. All Alphas in favour of removing Kael from power, stand now.”
Young Sera held her breath as Alphas around the table made their choices visible.