Chapter 50: There Will Be Consequences
Chapter 55. There Will Be
Ectonics Pow
Alexander’s upuries were glaring. His arm was bound tightly in a cast, waki
edly resting against his chest bruses parted h
and my wolf Selene, prowed testessly
my skin, sting with maternal rage
coins
The sight of tam like this made my hands cut into fora. Alexander–my–Alphen the crack, red to limping and sulking. He looks
THA AMIGHT PACK, MOUCES ken, not nely in body but in epit
a pack house, his steps were de
tyms lacked for a beef moment.
cheredisappeared behind the grand oak doors of Jarnest study, my anger bobbles
had other ways of ex
Jason I said crisply, demanding his attention. My nice betrayed none of the storm brewing within me “Explain Alexanders condition te
alone made Selene grouwd
“Alpha
reply was
complicated
I narrowed my eyes, mom though he couldn’t see me “Your Alplus is injured,
Jason. His arm is in a cast. This is the time to play day I sad
Jason’s reluctance was palpatile, but finally, he yielded. It happened near the seaside mansion he admitted. There
greence that never seemed to go away
The mare mention of her name twisted the inntation in my chest into something harsher–un old grievanc
“Scarlett? And why would that lead to a broken arm I pressed, though I already had a sinking feeling
Jason exhaled hewally through the link. “It wasnt ber he clarified, but there was no relief his tone. It was him Roman”
let out a low stark, her protective instincts overtaking my town. Roman–the so–called Shadow Alpha. He had tur
can unstoppable storm, sweeping Scarlett under his protection and cementing her independence. This wasn’t the first time his name had come
up in a troublesome conted.
“What did Roman do?” I asked, my voice sharp.
Jason paused. “He broke Alexander’s arm”
The words dropped like a stone between us. My grip on the decorative banister lightened until I thought it might snap under my hand. “He what?”
“It escalated fast,” Jason said carefully, clearly trying to explain without openly condemning Alexander “Roman intervened before things could spiral He trade it clear–our efforts tieve were unwelcome.”
My anger surged. A foreign Alpha had dared to lay a hand on my son. Someone other than Scarlett’s insolence was now directly humiliating my family it was intolerable. I told him to back away from Scarlett’s madness. And now look where he’s landed himself,” i muttered to myself, cutting the link with Jason before he could stammer further excuses.
Inside the study, James’s tone was deliberate and cutting. My mate, Alpha of the Amber Pack, rarely expressed his anger openly, but his disappointment carried the weight of a boulder
Explain this mess,” Jairus demanded,
rather chair. He tapped the ash from his cigar into a crystal tray, his amber eyes locked on has already secured his meeting with the Shadow Organization, yet you accomplish nothing but
drama Can you replain that, or are you too busy treating thei ich like a daycare for Gracer
Alexander was silent. His jaw clenched, and Mason’s prese
Jaruns outright
intly through hem. My son wasn’t a
fool–he knew
better th
than to challenge.
“She’s dying,” he muttered after a long pause, stiffly addressing Grace’s condition.
“And what do you want us to do about it?” James countered coolly. He took a long drag from his cigar, exhaling the smoke through his nose. “You think pack leadership bows to the whims of an Omega’s suffering because she bats her eyelashes at you? Focus on the bigger picture, Alexander.”
“She’s not just an Omega,” Alexander said stubbornly, his voice cracking slightly. His fingers dug into his cast as if to channel his frustration elsewhere
“She’s
he’s a distraction!” James snapped, rising abruptly from his chair. The force of his authority filled the room like a heavy fog, pressing down on both wolves present. “And she’s pulling you into constant turmoil. Tell me, how is her condition any less problematic than three years ago, when Scarlett stirred chaps in this family, leaving us with political wounds we still haven’t mended? Don’t you see the parallels? Don’t you learn?”
Alexander flinched slightly but tried not to show it. His icy demeanor only half succeeded in hiding his internal tempest
“She’s not like Scarlett,” Alexander bit out, though Mason’s underlying growl betrayed how torn he truly was. “Grace simply needs help. Scarlett’s defiance, her
“Her defiance has saved her,” James cut through harshly, narrowing his eyes. “Grace, on the other hand, has clung to you like a sinking ship. Think, Alexander. Prioritize the pack or step aside. There is no room for compassion in the face of survival
The finality in James’s voice left no room for further argument. Alexander inclined his head slightly in reluctant acknowledgment, but everything about his posture screamed quiet rebellion Mason stirred uneasily within him, tethered by the rigid obedience demanded of him.
“You’re dismissed,” James said sharply. “Send Jason in,”
I intercepted Jason in the hallway before he could even knock on the study’s door. The tension radiating from him was nearly palpable.
“Beta Jason” I said coolly. “A word,”
His
hesitation was clear in the stiffness of his shoulders. He kept his gaze lowered just enough to avoid outright defiance but high enough to show The wouldn’t cower
“Do you make a habit of hiding key details from me?” I asked simply, though the deliberate sharpness in my tone made Selene rumble in satisfaction.
Jason shook his head quickly. “Not at all, Alpha Victoria, I–I thought it best for Alexander to explain.”
“And clearly, Alexander’s judgment has been compromised. Between that Omega pulling his strings and Scarlett provoking him at every turn, your Alpha has made mistake after mistake,” I said, stepping closer. “Why didn’t you stop him? Why didn’t you warn him about targeting Scarlett?”
Jason’s voice wavered. “Respectfully, Alpha, no one stops Alexander.”
I scoffed, Selene’s disdain prickling at my edges. “No one stops him? Roman stopped him easily enough.”
Jason winced as though the reminder physically pained him.
“What happened?” I pressed, determined to wring the truth from him. “What in the Goddess’s name was achieved by that encounter?”
four
“It was… impulsive,” Jason admitted. “He thought reclaiming some influence over Scarlett–or at least the mansion–could shift things in his favor.
But Roman interrupted.”
Jason faltered under my glare.
“And?” I prompted icily
“And things escalated,” he confessed. Toman didn’t give him a choice but to retreat.”
The very mention of Roman sent a flicker of irritation through my calmly composed demeanor. I inhaled deeply, reigniting Today.”
niting my resolve “This ends.
Spinning on my heel, I strode back toward the study.
Moments later, I reconnected through the bond to someone who had just as much to answer for–Sarah Winter herself.
“Sarah” I began sharply, “you’ve failed.”
Her response was instant, her voice frantic and defensive “Victoria, do not start. Grace is critical–it’s my priority”
Chapter 59. There Will Be Consequences
“Oh, I see,” I responded coldly, taking her excuses like nails and grinding them between my fangs. “And at what cost? Dragging my son into your daughter’s messes is grotesque enough. But now? Grace has become a millstone around his neck, dragging him into injury, humiliation, political failure
“You don’t understand–Sarah began, but I didn’t let her finish
“You failed Scarlett,” I hissed. “You abandoned her as if she were nothing when Grace was swapped into her place. And now you cling to this Omega like she’s your last hope, even as her very presence destroys any grace you thought your bloodline had left.”
“Don’t you dare!” Sarah shouted, her voice trembling with anger. “Grace is all I havel She–she-
“She’s your burden,” I snapped savagely. “And her silver poisoning? It screams of timing too convenient to trust. I know what you’re trying to do. Sarah. You’ve been tugging at Alexander through pack bonds regularly, Grace as well. You’ve turned his mind into chaos.”
av afloat.
“He–he cares,” Sarah stammered, though her tone mirrored a drowning wolf’s last attempt to stay
“No.” I replied icily. “You manipulated him. As for Scarlett… you’ve lost her. Let me make one thing clear, if you and Grace continue meddling in Amber Pack affairs, there will be consequences far more severe than what you can fathom.”
Chapter GO Forbidden Desires
