Chapter 63:
I took my seat at the head of the table, feeling their eyes on me. Their silence wasn’t one of respect—it was the quiet before a storm.
“We need to talk about Dante,” Osric said, breaking the stillness. His voice was measured but carried the weight of what we were all thinking.
“This pack is stronger when it’s united. Right now, it isn’t.”
The words hung in the air like a challenge, and I forced myself to meet his gaze, steady and unflinching.
“Dante has done nothing but fight for this pack since he returned,” I said firmly.
“He risked his life in the battle at the border. He’s training our younger wolves, strengthening them. That doesn’t look like disloyalty to me.”
“His actions may speak of loyalty,” Geth interjected, his tone sharp, “but his presence speaks of division. Some of the pack look to him as a potential Alpha, and you can’t deny that.”
I clenched my jaw, suppressing the urge to snap at him.
“He’s not here to challenge my authority. He’s here to help us prepare for Silas.”
“That may be his intention,” Mara said quietly, her voice cutting through the room like a blade, “but intentions aren’t always enough. The pack’s perception matters. If they see him as a rival, it weakens you. It weakens us.” The truth of her words stung, but I refused to let it show.
“I can’t control what every wolf thinks,” I said.
“What I can control is how we respond. If we let this fester, it will divide us. But if we show them that Dante is loyal to me—to this pack—they’ll see there’s nothing to question.”
Osric leaned forward, his gaze heavy.
L∆Ŧ€$† Ç♄₳þŧëяŞ ¡η g𝓪l𝗇ovєl𝑆.𝒸оm
“And how do you plan to do that?”
Before I could answer, the door creaked open, and Dante stepped inside. He hesitated for only a moment before striding toward the table, his dark eyes scanning the room. His presence filled the chamber, commanding attention even without a word.
“You wanted to see me,” he said, his tone even but guarded. I stood, motioning for him to join us.
“We’re discussing the pack’s concerns about your role here.”
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his gaze shifting to Osric, then Geth, before landing back on me.
“And what concerns are those?”
Geth leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
“You’re a distraction. Wolves look to you instead of Elara. They question where your loyalty lies.”
Dante’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the flicker of irritation in his eyes.
“I’ve made my loyalty clear,” he said.
“I’m here for the pack. For Elara.”
“And yet,” Mara said, “your very presence undermines her. Whether you mean to or not.”
Silence fell again, the tension crackling like a live wire. I glanced at Dante, seeing the frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. This wasn’t just an attack on him—it was an attack on me, on the decisions I’d made as Alpha. And I couldn’t let it stand.
“Dante isn’t the problem,” I said, my voice firm.
“The problem is doubt. If we let these suspicions grow, we’re feeding the very division we’re trying to avoid. That’s why we need to settle this now.”
I turned to Dante, my gaze steady.
“If you’re willing, I want you to make a public declaration of loyalty. To me. To the pack.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll do whatever you need.”
