Chapter 68 The Vote
Five Alphas stood immediately.
Victor Kane rose with confident ease, clearly having secured their support beforehand. Marcus Blackwood stood quickly, his vote motivated by revenge rather than genuine concern about the Northern Kingdom’s stability. Thomas Reed stood next, his obsession with young Sera evident in the way his eyes tracked her even now. Elena Cross stood from her position among the advisors, claiming her right as a former potential Luna to vote. And a fifth Alpha, someone young Sera did not recognise, stood with visible reluctance.
Five votes against Kael.
The room held its breath, waiting to see if more would stand. A simple majority of twelve votes would remove Kael from power. Victor needed seven more Alphas to join him.
Seconds ticked by in painful silence.
No one else moved.
Young Sera felt her shoulders start to relax slightly. Five votes were not enough. They were safe.
Then Alpha David Chen stood slowly, his face conflicted. “I am sorry, Kael. But I have to think about my pack’s safety. The reports about your wolf’s instability concern me.”
Six votes.
Alpha Maria Santos stood next, an older woman whose territory bordered the Northern Kingdom. “I have daughters,” she said quietly. “Omega daughters. I cannot support a leadership structure that has resulted in twelve omega deaths, regardless of the circumstances.”
Seven votes.
Young Sera’s heart began racing again. Five more votes and Kael would lose everything. The Northern Kingdom would fall under Victor’s control. Everything her grandmother had built would be destroyed.
“This is wrong,” young Sera said, standing abruptly. “You are voting based on fear and manipulation, not facts.”
“Sit down,” Victor said sharply. “You do not have the right to speak during a formal vote.”
“She has every right,” Kael said, his voice deadly calm. “She is the Luna Queen. She speaks for the Northern Kingdom equally with me.”
“She is not the Luna Queen,” Marcus interjected. “She is a child playing dress up. She has not completed any formal coronation. Has not been recognised by this council. She has no official standing.”
Richard Stone looked uncomfortable. “Technically, Marcus is correct. Without a formal coronation, young Sera’s status is uncertain. She can advise Kael but cannot speak independently to the council.”
“Then we will make it official right now,” Kael said, standing. “I formally recognise young Sera as Luna Queen of the Northern Kingdom, effective immediately. She speaks with my full authority.”
“You cannot just declare someone Luna Queen during a summit,” Victor protested. “There are rituals. Ceremonies. Requirements that must be met.”
“Pack law says an Alpha King can recognise his Luna at any time through formal declaration,” Lyra said, pulling out a leather-bound book. “The rituals are traditional, not required. Kael’s declaration is legally binding.”
Victor looked furious but could not argue with pack law. Young Sera was now officially Luna Queen, whether he liked it or not.
“Fine,” Victor said through gritted teeth. “Let the child Luna speak. Let us all witness her inexperience.”
Young Sera stood again, this time with the full authority of her position behind her. She looked at the seven Alphas who had voted against Kael, trying to understand what would change their minds.
Fear. They were voting from fear. Fear that Kael’s wolf would destabilise again. Fear that the Northern Kingdom posed a threat. Fear was manufactured by Victor’s careful manipulation.
She needed to address the fear directly.
“You are right to be concerned about omega safety,” young Sera said, looking directly at Maria Santos. “Twelve omegas died. That is twelve too many. But those deaths happened before I arrived. Before Kael’s wolf found stability again. I am living proof that his wolf is no longer the threat you fear.”
“For now,” David Chen said. “But what happens when stress increases? When the next crisis arrives? Will his wolf remain stable or will we see more deaths?”
“What happens when crisis arrives for any of us?” young Sera countered. “What happens when your territory is attacked? When your mate is threatened? When your pack faces impossible choices? We all have moments where our wolves are tested. Kael’s wolf has been tested more than most and has proven stable every single time since I arrived.”
“Because you are his mate,” Elena Cross said coldly from her position. “Because the mate bond stabilises him. But what happens if something happens to you? If you die, leave or betray him? His wolf will destabilise again and we will be right back where we started.”
The question hit harder than young Sera expected. Because Elena was not entirely wrong. The mate bond did stabilise Kael. If something happened to young Sera, the consequences could be catastrophic.
“That is true for every mated Alpha in this room,” Garrett said, standing to support young Sera. “The mate bond stabilises all of us. Makes us stronger and more grounded. Should we remove every mated Alpha from power because they might lose their mate someday? Should we punish strength because it depends on connection?”
“It is different with Kael,” Victor insisted. “His wolf was damaged by Isabelle’s murder. That damage runs deeper than normal mate bonds. He is fundamentally unstable in ways the rest of us are not.”
“Prove it,” young Sera said suddenly. “You keep claiming Kael’s wolf is unstable. Prove it right now. Let his wolf emerge. Let everyone in this room witness whether it is controlled or dangerous. Put your theory to the test instead of just spreading fear.”
The room erupted into chaos. Alphas shouting over each other. Some demanding young Sera sit down and stop making reckless suggestions. Others were intrigued by the idea of seeing proof rather than accepting claims.
“Absolutely not,” Victor said. “Asking an Alpha to release his wolf in a confined space full of other Alphas is insanity. Someone will get hurt.”
“Only if the wolf is actually unstable,” young Sera said. “If Kael’s wolf is as controlled as we claim, then releasing it proves our point. If it is as dangerous as you claim, then you are right and Kael should step down. Either way, we get truth instead of speculation.”
Kael looked at young Sera with something between concern and pride. She was taking an enormous risk. If his wolf did lose control, people could die. But she was also right that proof would settle the debate definitively.
“I will do it,” Kael said quietly. “If the council agrees to accept the results. If my wolf proves controlled, the vote ends and we move forward. If my wolf proves unstable, I step down immediately with no further argument.”
Richard Stone looked deeply uncomfortable. “This is highly irregular. I am not sure the summit protocol allows for such a test.”
“Summit protocol allows for evidence,” Lyra said. “This is evidence. Either accept it or admit you are voting based on rumours rather than facts.”
The Alphas who had voted against Kael looked at each other uncertainly. Victor’s expression was calculating, clearly trying to determine if this worked to his advantage or not.
“I agree to the test,” Maria Santos said finally. “If Kael’s wolf is truly stable, I will change my vote. But if I see any sign of instability, I stand by my decision.”
“I agree as well,” David Chen said. “Let us see the truth.”
One by one, the other Alphas nodded in agreement. Even Victor could not refuse without looking like a coward who relied on speculation rather than evidence.
“Very well,” Richard said. “Clear the centre of the room. Give Kael space. Everyone else against the walls. If his wolf becomes aggressive, we respond with force to protect ourselves.”
The room was rearranged quickly. Advisors and witnesses pressed against the walls. The circular table was pushed to one side, creating an open space in the centre. Kael moved to that space alone, his grey eyes calm despite the enormous pressure of what he was about to do.
Young Sera wanted to go to him. Wanted to stand beside him. But this was something he had to do alone.
Kael closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Young Sera felt their mate bond vibrate as he reached for his wolf. Felt the moment the barrier between man and beast thinned.
His body began to change.
Not the full shift into wolf form. Something in between. His eyes opened and they were pure gold, no trace of grey remaining. His canines lengthened. Claws emerged from his fingertips. His muscles bulged and shifted, becoming more beast than man while maintaining human shape.
Power radiated from him in waves. Pure Alpha dominance that made every wolf in the room feel the instinct to submit. Young Sera felt her own wolf respond, wanting to bare her throat, wanting to acknowledge the superior predator.
But Kael’s wolf was not attacking. Was not snarling or threatening. It simply stood in the centre of the room, radiating controlled power.
Kael’s wolf turned slowly, looking at each Alpha in turn. Assessing. Measuring. Making eye contact that would have been a challenge from an unstable wolf but felt more like an acknowledgement from a stable one.
When the golden eyes reached young Sera, something shifted. The wolf’s expression softened. A low rumble emerged from Kael’s chest. Not a growl. A sound of recognition and protection. The sound of a mated wolf seeing his mate.
Kael’s wolf moved toward young Sera with purposeful steps. Several Alphas tensed, hands moving toward weapons. But Garrett held up his hand, signalling them to wait.
The wolf stopped directly in front of young Sera, close enough that she could feel heat radiating from his transformed body. Close enough that one swipe of those claws could kill her instantly.
Young Sera held perfectly still, her heart racing but her eyes steady. She reached up slowly and placed her palm against Kael’s chest, feeling his heartbeat through the mate bond.
“I am here,” she said softly. “I am safe. You are in control.”
Kael’s wolf made that rumbling sound again and leaned into her touch. Then it turned away from her and moved back to the centre of the room, demonstrating perfect control despite the proximity to his mate.
The wolf stood there for several long minutes, letting everyone observe. Letting them see that it was aware, intelligent, and controlled. Not the mindless beast that had killed twelve omegas. Not the unstable predator they feared.
Finally, Kael pulled his wolf back. The golden eyes faded to grey. The claws retracted. The extra muscle mass settled back into his normal frame. He stood in the centre of the room as himself again, breathing hard from the effort but completely in control.
The room was silent for several heartbeats.
Then Maria Santos spoke. “I change my vote. That wolf is stable. More stable than some fully human Alphas I have known. Kael should remain as Alpha King.”
David Chen nodded slowly. “I agree. I changed my vote as well. That was not the demonstration of an unstable wolf.”
The fifth Alpha who had voted against Kael, the one young Sera did not recognise, also nodded. “I was wrong. I changed my vote.”
Three votes flipped. That left only four against Kael now. Not enough to remove him from power.
Victor’s face was tight with barely controlled rage. His carefully constructed case was falling apart.
“This proves nothing,” Victor said desperately. “He maintained control in a controlled environment. But what about under real stress? Real threat?”
“You want real stress?” young Sera asked, feeling her own anger rising. “You want to see how stable we are under threat? Then stop hiding behind political games and say what you really want. You do not care about omega safety or pack stability. You care about power. You orchestrated Isabelle’s murder five years ago to destabilise Kael. Now you are trying to finish what you started by removing him through a council vote. You are not protecting anyone. You are just a coward who cannot face Kael directly so you hide behind manipulation and lies.”
The accusation hung in the air like a bomb.
Victor’s expression went from angry to deadly in an instant. “You dare accuse me of murder? You have no proof. No evidence. Just wild speculation from a child who knows nothing about pack politics.”
“I have evidence,” Kael said quietly. “I have had it for two years. Witness testimony from the assassin who killed Isabelle. He named you before he died. Named you as the one who paid for her death.”
“Lies from a dying criminal mean nothing.”
“They mean everything when combined with financial records showing large payments from your accounts to known assassins. When combined with communication intercepts showing you discussing timing and opportunity. When combined with testimony from three pack members who overheard you planning the attack.”
Kael pulled documents from a folder Lyra handed him. “I have been building this case for two years. Waiting for the right moment to present it. Waiting for you to make a mistake that would let me bring formal charges. Today you made that mistake. You called this summit. Gathered witnesses. Created a public forum. Now I am using it.”
He spread the documents on the table. Financial records. Transcribed conversations. Witness statements. Everything is carefully organised and documented.
“You murdered my mate,” Kael said, his voice deadly calm. “You destabilised my wolf intentionally. You tried to destroy the Northern Kingdom from the inside. And now I am charging you formally with murder, conspiracy, and crimes against pack law. This council will decide your fate the same way you tried to decide mine.”
The room exploded into chaos. Alphas shouting. The Warriors are moving into defensive positions. Victor backed toward the door, clearly realising his situation had reversed completely.
“This is a setup,” Victor snarled. “You planned this. Used the girl as bait to make me reveal myself.”
“I planned nothing,” young Sera said. “You did this to yourself. You could have stayed quiet. Could have let us lead in peace. But you got greedy. Wanted to destroy Kael completely instead of just settling for the damage you already caused. That greed is what exposed you.”
Richard Stone called for order, his voice booming through the chaos. “Silence! All of you!”
The room gradually quieted, though tension crackled in the air like electricity.
“These are serious charges,” Richard said, looking at the documents Kael had presented. “If proven true, they carry a death sentence. Victor, how do you respond?”
Victor’s eyes darted around the room, looking for allies or escape routes. Finding neither. “I demand time to prepare a defence. To gather my own evidence. You cannot condemn me based on documents that could be forged.”
“The documents are authentic,” Lyra said. “We can verify that right now. Call in forensic experts. Examine the evidence. Test the witnesses. If anything is forged or false, we withdraw the charges. But if it is all real, then Victor faces justice.”
“I agree,” Maria Santos said. “Let us examine the evidence properly. If Victor is guilty, he should face consequences. If Kael is lying, then we remove Kael instead. Either way, we need truth.”
The other Alphas nodded in agreement. Even those who had supported Victor initially now looked uncertain, not wanting to be associated with a potential murderer.
“I call for a recess,” Richard declared. “One hour to examine evidence and verify authenticity. Then we reconvene for formal charges and defence. This summit is suspended.”
The room began clearing as people moved into smaller groups to discuss what had just happened. Young Sera felt her legs go weak with relief and delayed fear. She sat down hard in the nearest chair, her hands shaking.
Kai appeared beside her immediately, offering water. “You were incredible. Challenging Victor like that. Suggesting the wolf demonstration. You turned everything around.”
“I was terrified,” young Sera admitted. “Still am. Victor looked like he wanted to kill me when I accused him of murder.”
“He probably does want to kill you. Which is why you do not leave this building without a full escort. Lyra, Garrett, and I will rotate watching you every second until this is resolved.”
Kael approached, his expression tight with concern. “I am sorry I did not warn you about the evidence against Victor. I wanted to wait until we had him cornered before revealing what we knew. But that meant keeping you in the dark.”
“I understand. And it worked. He got so focused on attacking us that he did not see the trap until it was too late.”
“The next hour will be critical,” Kael said. “Victor will try to escape, destroy evidence or bribe witnesses. We need to watch him carefully. Make sure he does not slip away before facing justice.”
As if summoned by their words, young Sera saw Marcus approaching. Her father’s face was tight with fury, his careful mask completely abandoned now that he realised his alliance with Victor had backfired.
“This is your fault,” Marcus hissed at young Sera. “You destroyed everything with your lies and manipulation. I should have killed you years ago instead of just teaching you discipline.”
The threat was clear. Unmistakable. Spoken in front of witnesses who could not ignore it.
Garrett moved between them instantly, his massive frame blocking Marcus completely. “You just threatened the Luna Queen in front of the entire summit council. That is grounds for immediate arrest and trial.”
Marcus realised too late what he had done. His face went pale as other Alphas turned to stare at him with expressions ranging from shock to disgust.
“I… I was upset. I did not mean—”
“You meant every word,” young Sera said, standing to face her father despite Garrett’s protective position. “You have always meant every word of violence you ever spoke to me. The only difference now is that people are listening. People are seeing you for what you really are. A violent man who should never have been trusted with a daughter. With any child. With any power at all.”
Richard Stone approached with several warriors. “Alpha Marcus Blackwood, you are under arrest for threatening a Luna Queen. You will be held until the council decides an appropriate punishment.”
Warriors surrounded Marcus, clearly prepared to use force if he resisted. For a moment young Sera thought he would fight. Thought his rage would overcome his survival instinct.
But Marcus allowed himself to be led away, shooting young Sera one final look of pure hatred.
“This is not over,” he said as the warriors escorted him out. “You think you have won but you have just made a powerful enemy. I will destroy you. Destroy everything you love. You will regret defying me.”
The threat echoed through the room as Marcus disappeared from view.
Young Sera stood frozen, the weight of everything crashing down on her at once. In the span of one hour, she had become official Luna Queen, proven Kael’s wolf was stable, exposed Victor Kane as a murderer, and gotten her own father arrested for threatening her life.
It was too much. Too fast. Too overwhelming.
Her legs gave out completely and Kai caught her before she hit the floor.
“I have you,” Kai said, supporting her weight. “You did it. You survived. Now let us get you somewhere safe to rest before the next session.”
But even as Kai helped her toward a private room, young Sera knew rest would not come easily.
Because Victor Kane was still free. Still dangerous. Still capable of doing terrible things to escape justice.
And her father’s threat hung in the air like poison.
I will destroy everything you love.
The summit was far from over.
And the most dangerous part was yet to come.