At a long table sat wolves of all ranks, the only two packs in the world having come together to discuss the ceremony set for the next day. Whispers spread across the table as everyone murmured quietly, each clearly eager to voice their thoughts.
Leonard was also present, sitting quietly, steady and composed. His gaze fixed on Valerie as if she were the only thing in the room worth noticing.
Alpha Timo cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"As we all know, tomorrow marks my daughter's ceremony, where she will be made Alpha," he began, pausing briefly before gesturing toward Valerie.
"She has a few things she wants to say, things I don't know yet. I will let her continue from here."
With that, Valerie rose to her feet, all eyes on her.
"I....." She paused, drawing in a shaky breath, forcing herself to calm down. Then she tried again.
"I would like to thank you all for being here," she stammered.
The hall was quiet, attentive.
"I am… sorry to announce that Alpha Leonard will no longer be my mate." She swallowed hard. "I do not wish to marry him."
Silence fell.
It was so still that if a pin dropped to the floor, it would have echoed through the room.
Leonard's chest tightened with pain. Despite his pleas for her to wait, despite everything that had happened, she had gone ahead anyway.
Did she hate him that much? he wondered.
Slowly, he lifted his hand and bit down on his thumb, trying to suppress the ache burning in his chest.
Then a voice broke the silence.
"I knew it," a man at the table snapped. "So the rumors are true. You intend to have us killed."
Valerie looked up, confusion clouding her face. She had no idea what he meant.
"So you plan to weaken the Harmon and leave us defenseless," another added sharply.
Alpha Timo, still reeling from Valerie's announcement, rose quickly.
"Enough," he said, trying to steady the rising tension. "You make dangerous assumptions. Whoever is feeding you this nonsense should be ashamed."
"It isn't nonsense," a third man replied coldly. "Your daughter intends to reject an Alpha for a mere human. You know the law, once an Alpha's mate rejects him, he cannot take another werewolf. Only a human. Is your plan truly to doom us all?"
"Who said it is a human?" Alpha Timo snapped.
"Oh, you didn't know?" the first man scoffed.
"Alpha Leonard caught them together. How shameful."
Alpha Timo turned sharply toward Valerie, waiting for her to deny the allegations against her.
But she only lowered her head, shame written plainly across her face.
He fell silent.
"This can still be resolved," Alpha Timo said again, his voice firmer now.
"Resolved?" a man laughed bitterly. "I knew this would end badly the moment the Moon Goddess chose an Omega as our next Alpha."
"An Omega not even from the Alpha's bloodline," another added, his words cutting deep.
Valerie's eyes widened.
So it was true.
She didn't believe it at first when she overheard Lumori telling her father about it. But now, everyone knew.
"How did you come by such information?" Alpha Timo asked, stunned.
"Is that truly what matters," the man spat, "when misfortune is about to fall upon us?"
"We need Lumori to replace the weak Omega," someone suggested.
Alpha Timo shook his head immediately.
"And go against the Moon Goddess's will? Never. She does not make mistakes."
"Then you do not have my support," the first man growled.
"A child who cannot speak without stuttering, how does she intend to represent us?"
That was it.
Leonard's fist clenched, his knuckles turning white.
"If you refuse to support her," he said coldly, rising to his feet, "then I will make sure everyone in my pack does."
"And if they refuse?" the man challenged.
"Then every last one of them will be beheaded."
Gasps erupted around the table.
"That is murder," someone shouted. "You will weaken the Harmon even further!"
Leonard stood tall, his presence suddenly intimidating. Even Alpha Timo watched him with quiet astonishment.
Even when she did not want him… he still chose to protect her.
"Do not push me beyond my limits," Leonard said slowly, drawing in a deep breath.
"I will not stand by while you belittle the woman I love."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
He turned slightly toward Valerie, but her face remained blank, unreadable.He blinked quickly and looked away. She was impossibly hard to read.
One by one, the wolves began to leave, murmuring uneasily. Valerie knew if this spread, things could escalate quickly.
Her chest tightened painfully. The thought of how they had obtained all this information kept pounding in her head. This would be enough to make them turn their backs on her.
Soon, the once crowded hall stood empty.
Only Alpha Timo, Leonard, and Valerie remained.
Timo stepped forward and pulled Valerie into a tight embrace.
She stiffened at first, expecting anger, disappointment, punishment.But none came.
Tears filled her eyes, but her father's comfort made her feel safe. She had no idea what was going through his mind or how he was taking everything being said in the meeting.
Leonard could only watch from afar. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to stay by her side but her heart belonged to another.
He was certain she would only push him away.