?Chapter 866:


    Turning my attention to the official, I forced a thin smile, one that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “For a low-ranking official, you sure have a lot of nerve. Even if Mr. Pierce’s influence were to wane, crushing a nobody like you wouldn’t even take effort. Maybe you should rethink your ce before running your mouth.”


    The official’s face darkened, his earlier arrogance crumbling. Finding himself outmatched, he could do nothing but re at us before slinking away.


    Just then, the grand doors of the banquet hall creaked open, drawing all eyes to the entrance. Cody finally arrived, fashionablyte, as always.


    Sliding into his seat with an air of importance, he cleared his throat before addressing the room with a broad, self-satisfied grin.


    “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced, voice thick with triumph, “tonight, we gather to celebrate a glorious victory against the Wizard n’s invasion. Not only did we crush them on the battlefield, but we also captured hundreds of hybrids—pitiful creatures born of both werewolf and wizard blood. This time, we’ve truly broken the Wizard n’s back.”


    At Cody’s words, Jett flinched, his body tensing as though struck. His hands curled into tight fists, knuckles white with restraint. A shadow passed through his gaze—one of sorrow, buried beneathyers of quiet endurance.


    Everyone knew the harsh truth—hybrids of werewolf-wizard heritage were treated as outcasts, shunned by both sides. In times of war, they were little more than cannon fodder, thrown into battle without a second thought, mere sacrifices in a conflict they never chose.


    Jett himself was half-wizard, half-werewolf. And Cody’s words cut deeper than any de.


    I wanted to offer Jett somefort, even if only a fleeting gesture, but before I could, Alden spoke up, his voice sharp with defiance.


    “Mr. Harrison,” he said, his tone unwavering, “Mr. Pierce has always been known for his mercy. He has never condoned the senseless ughter of these people. And yet, tonight, you stand here, boasting about their execution. Are you telling us that Mr. Pierce—who could not attend in person and sent me in his stead—has suddenly abandoned his principles? That he now stands with you in torturing and murdering those… those hybrids?”


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    A thick silence fell over the room. Every gaze turned to Alden.


    I nced at him, taking in the way his jaw was set, his hands trembling slightly as he fought to contain his anger. When he spoke again, his voice carried the weight of conviction.


    “Mr. Pierce may not be here tonight, but I know this—wherever he is, he still believes that the sins of war should never be shouldered by innocent children.”


    For a brief moment, Cody was taken aback. Then, his lips curled into azy smirk, and he let out a short, mockingugh. Leaning back in his chair, he waved a dismissive hand.


    Momentster, the side door of the banquet hall burst open, and a group of children was forced inside, their small figures stumbling under the rough treatment.


    Makenna’s POV:


    The children huddled together in tattered rags, their small bodies marred with dirt and angry bruises. Fresh blood seeped through their threadbare clothing, painting a heartbreaking tableau of suffering before my eyes.


    Despair and raw fear filled their hollow gazes as they trembled against one another, their vulnerability piercing my heart like a physical wound.


    This was beyond cruelty! What monster could inflict such torment upon innocent souls so young and defenseless?


    A wave of anguish washed over me. I nced sideways at Jett, whose eyes had turned crimson with fury, his body tensed like a spring ready tounch into violent action.


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