CHAPTER 402: COUNCIL MEETING

River:

The Council Headquarters loomed ahead like a fortress of iron and stone, its high spires stabbing at the cloud-heavy sky.

The moment Kieran and I crossed through the main gates, the air shifted - thickening with tension that tasted like metal and fear. The guards stationed at the entrance straightened instinctively, scenting our arrival long before they actually saw us.

Our shoes struck the marble floor in steady rhythm - controlled, measured, but carrying enough weight to echo through the vast corridor like a warning. Jasper and Mark followed just a few steps behind, silent but alert.

Every step we took meant business, and everyone knew it.

The faint hum of conversation that usually filled the hallways died the instant someone noticed us. Staff members froze, their gazes darting between us as if unsure whether to bow or simply disappear. Most chose the latter, scurrying into adjacent corridors before our aura reached them.

Not that it mattered. The few who weren’t fast enough ended up doubled over or pressed against walls, their breathing labored. My control was tight, but my power had never been subtle... and today, I didn’t care to hide it.

No one tried to greet us. No one dared. They knew better.

Kieran glanced my way as we approached the heavy doors of the meeting hall, his jaw set in the same grim determination that mirrored mine. He didn’t speak, but he didn’t need to. I already knew what he was thinking.

This meeting wasn’t for discussion. It was for declaration.

The guards stationed at the entrance lowered their heads instantly and opened the grand doors.

The moment we stepped inside, silence fell like a blade.

Every Alpha, Elder, and representative seated around the long obsidian table turned to look at us. Dozens of gazes - sharp, calculating, uneasy - met ours. The scent of authority and pride thickened the air, clashing with our own. But the instant our combined aura rolled through the chamber, the challenge in their eyes flickered and died.

Their wolves felt it - the undeniable dominance that came with years of blood, battle, and leadership.

The second the clock struck the hour the meeting was meant to start, Kieran and I took our seats at the head of the table. Punctuality wasn’t just discipline - it was a reminder of who commanded the room.

"Alpha River Thorne. Alpha Kieran Thorne," Elder Magnus greeted stiffly, his old voice carrying the weight of both irritation and forced respect. "You are right on time."

"As always," Kieran replied, his tone even, smooth, calm in a way that only made people more uneasy.

Magnus’s gaze flicked to me, but he didn’t say a word. Smart man.

I let my aura pulse - just enough to remind the council why I was called the Rogue Alpha King. It washed over the room like a dark tide, forcing a few weaker Alphas to straighten unconsciously, their wolves whimpering under the weight of it.

"Let’s begin," I said simply.

Magnus cleared his throat and gestured to the council scribes to start recording. "We were told there was an attack last night - rogues, near the Silver Moon Academy. Is that correct?"

"Yes," I replied. My voice carried easily through the chamber, unhurried but sharp. "A group of rogues launched a surprise assault near the northern perimeter of our territory. They were well-coordinated and aggressive. Me and my brothers intercepted them while we were out for a run in the woods."

A murmur rippled through the room, but no one dared interrupt.

"Fortunately," I continued, "we eliminated the threat before they could cause significant damage. However, their appearance was... unusual."

Kieran leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, his golden-green eyes sweeping the council members. "The rogues weren’t feral. They were organized. Trained. Someone is controlling them... or funding them."

"That’s impossible," Alpha Roderick of the Westwood Pack blurted, disbelief flickering across his face. "Rogues are mindless animals, barely capable of-"

"Do I look like I came here to speculate?" I cut in, my voice low but sharp enough to make him flinch. "I saw them, Roderick. They were coordinated. Efficient. That doesn’t happen without leadership."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest. "While we don’t yet know the reason for their sudden appearance, we can’t rule out that their target might have been the Silver Moon Academy."

The mere mention of the Academy stirred the council again - nervous whispers, exchanged glances.

"Silver Moon..." Magnus repeated. "If that’s true, this could be more than a rogue problem. We can’t allow anything to threaten the safety of our young generation."

"That’s exactly why we are handling this ourselves," I said, cutting off whatever argument he was about to form. "The Academy falls under Kieran’s jurisdiction, and the rogues are my domain. This is our problem... and we’ll deal with it."

Elder Magnus’s brow furrowed. "You mean to say you’ll investigate without Council oversight?"

"Yes," I said bluntly. "We are not asking for your permission. We are here to inform you of our decision."

That sent a ripple of offense through the Alphas around the table.

Alpha Roderick spoke again, his tone edged with indignation. "You can’t just bypass the Council, Thorne. Matters concerning rogues fall under all packs’ responsibility, not just yours. You don’t have the authority to-"

The rest of his sentence died in his throat when I let my aura flare just slightly. The air crackled with energy, thick and suffocating.

I didn’t even raise my voice when I said, "I don’t recall needing your approval, Alpha."

The pressure intensified until the man’s knuckles went white from gripping the table. A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"I called this meeting to inform you," I continued. "Not to debate."

Kieran’s tone was calm but firm when he added, "And since you seem so eager to involve yourselves in something productive, perhaps you should start taking the soul death cases more seriously instead of wasting time arguing over who handles the rogues."

That shut everyone up.

The term "soul death" hung in the air like poison.

No one had answers. No one dared to admit how terrified they were of the unknown.

Magnus’s face paled slightly. "Those cases are under investigation," he muttered.

"Then investigate harder," Kieran replied coldly. "Because if those deaths and the rogue attacks are connected, you’ll want to be prepared."

The old man swallowed hard but didn’t argue.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was the scratching of the scribes’ quills as they tried to capture every word.

I let the silence stretch, let them feel the weight of what we had just said. Then I stood.

"Kieran and I will be conducting our own investigation into the rogue activities," I said, my tone final. "We’ll handle it swiftly and keep the Council updated on developments."

No one dared to protest this time.

When Kieran rose as well, his chair barely made a sound, but somehow the air grew even heavier. "That will be all for now," he said.

Magnus tried to compose himself. "We’ll await your report."

"You’ll get it when there’s something worth reporting," I replied curtly.

We turned and made our way out, Jasper and Mark falling into step behind us. The heavy doors closed behind us with a low thud, sealing the council chamber back into uneasy quiet.

As we walked down the hall, Kieran finally exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "That went smoother than expected," he muttered.

I gave a dry laugh. "That’s because they know better than to challenge us outright."

Jasper smirked behind me. "You mean they were too scared to breathe, Alpha."

"Same thing," I said with a shrug.

But even as we walked toward the exit, my mind wasn’t on the meeting anymore.

It was on the rogues. The scent of blood and chaos from last night. The feeling in my gut that something far bigger was brewing in the shadows.

And though I hadn’t told the council, I couldn’t shake the thought that this attack wasn’t random at all.

Someone was testing the borders. Testing us.

And that meant only one thing

War was coming.