Augustin’s POV
They’ll be here soon,” Adryx said, settling into one of the leather chairs. He looked worried. You really invited both Matthew and Kieran?
Based on what Fox told us last night, Juno and I discovered some things that require their cooperation.” I moved to stand behind my desk, hands clasped behind my back. ‘We need them on our side for what’s coming.”
Evanth leaned forward. “What exactly did Ulysses’s son tell you?”
I studied my brother carefully. “How do you already know about that? You only arrived this morning.”
I told him everything,” Bryloch admitted. “He needed to know.”
Fair enough. Evanth was part of this now, whether I liked it or not.
“The point is,” I continued, “I need Matthew to stay calm when we discuss this. He can’t do anything that might warn Charles or Isabelle. I’m not sure what role Isabelle plays in all this mess, but she’s definitely a conduit for information.”
“And Quentor?” Evanth asked. “That bastard’s never liked you.”
“Quentor is definitely one of them.” My jaw clenched. “The question is how deep this goes.”
I began pacing, the weight of leadership heavy on my shoulders. My friends watched me carefully, waiting for me to make sense of the chaos surrounding
- us.
“The only reason fighting these people is so difficult,” I said finally, “is because we’ve been trying to beat our enemies using the Elder Council’s rules. But the truth is, those traditional rules are serving our enemies, not us.”
Adryx frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We have three weeks until the Purple Moon ceremonies, Four weddings scheduled. At the rate things are escalating, those weddings will either be rushed or they won’t happen at all. We might be overthrown or disgraced before then.”
I stopped pacing, turning to face them. “Yesterday it was threatening cards. Who knows what they’ll do next?”
“The pregnant women- Bryloch started.
‘Exactly.” Heat flashed through me. ‘Freya’s showing now. Juno’s starting to show. Scarlett just began her pregnancy journey. According to the plans Fox overheard, none of us are safe.”
The room fell silent. These were the stakes we were playing for.
I’ve spent my entire life trying to be fair and kind,” I continued, my voice rising with emotion. “I didn’t want to become like my father Nathanael. I gave the Elder Council freedom. I let people make their own choices. I tried to follow traditions and keep myself accessible to everyone.”
My hands clenched into fists. “And how are their being repaid? They’re playing games with us. Undermining my authority. Trying to strip away my power through subtle attacks, murders, conspiracies, and lies.”
Bryloch and Adryx exchanged glances. They’d never heard me speak like this.
“They worship some leader they call ‘Sovereign,” spat. “Some wolf who wants to seize power for himself. What are our crimes, exactly? We’ve given people food, jobs, freedom, peace. They can choose their own mates. The four regions have never been more harmonious.”
I slammed my fist on the desk. “But somehow, some people still think they can do better than the current rulers. They choose betrayal instead of working through the Elder Council system to argue for their goals.”
The anger was building now, years of restraint finally cracking.
1/3
Chapter 249
of am not just some regional Alpha; I declared. I am á Levenston. I’m not the Alpha King of a region–I’m the Alphs King of the entire to have ruled this land from the beginning.
Evanth straightened, something lighting up in his eyes.
I refuse to be treated like a common citizen in my own kingdom. Before all this nonsense started, rule was balanced. The four regions flourished. If ** 4 maintained that order, none of this chaos would have happened.”
I looked at each of them in turn. The Elder Council was created to represent the people’s voice to the Alpha King. Now they want to abolish the monarchy in the cruelest way possible and take over themselves.“.
“They don’t want democracy,” Adryx said quietly. “They want tyranny.”
Exactly. They worship one man, one wolf who wants to seize power for himself. Not because they think they can do better, but because they crave power. This Sovereign isn’t planning rotation of leadership. He’s planning to weaken the government and seize it at its most vulnerable moment.”
I resumed pacing, my thoughts crystallizing into action.
“The weakest time is like it was in the past, when the Elder Council and Alpha King coexist but neither has complete power or control. Both need cooperation but can successfully work against each other. This Sovereign’s agenda won’t bring peace. It will bring war and serious inequality.”
Bryloch leaned forward. “What are you saying, Augustin?”
I stopped, facing them with absolute resolve. “I’m saying we arrest everyone on our list and throw them in the dungeons. Family members, Alphas, Elder Council members–everyone. They’ll all be declared guilty until they prove their innocence.”
The room went dead silent.
“Those who resist will be executed. Their immediate family members will be exiled. Just like in the old days.”
“That’s…” Adryx hesitated. “That’s like the tyrants of the Dark Ages.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “And now I understand why our ancestors were so cruel and terrible. Faced with this much betrayal and violence, they needed to silence the noise and chaos. Cruelty was the answer.”
Bryloch studied my face carefully. “What made you completely change your mind about this?”
The question hit something deep inside me. I thought of Juno’s growing belly, of the child we’d created together, of the future we deserved to have.
‘I’m about to become a father,” I said simply. “I won’t hide in exile with my mate. My children deserve freedom. Juno and I and all of us deserve peace. This is the only way to get it.”
I straightened to my full height, feeling the weight of my bloodline, my crown, my responsibility.
“If we keep chasing these people with breadcrumbs, we’ll never catch them all. Like Fox, most people will talk once they’re captured. They’ll tell us more than we ever wanted to know.”
Bryloch nodded slowly. “I agree. You have my support.”
‘Mine too, Adryx added.
Evanth practically vibrated with excitement. “I’ve been waiting for you to talk like this, brother. Finally. His eyes gleamed with anticipation. ‘I’m ready.”
‘Prepare our military forces,” I commanded. “We’ll go full sweep. The raids and arrests will happen simultaneously across all regions.”
I smiled. “Kieran and Matthew will agree to do the same thing.”
‘And Kieran’s Fireland doesn’t have traitors, if this doesn’t work, we might have to retreat there to regroup before coming back. We need to be mentally prepared in case the raids don’t go according to plan.”
2/3
Chapter 249
The decision was made.
I looked at my brother, my Beta, my Gamma, the men who would help me reclaim our kingdom.
Let’s get our world back.”
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