CHAPTEORITY FOUR
CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
Jason’s POV
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The heavy oak doors of my father’s office shut behind me with a low thud. I could feel my father’s Alpha aura rolling off him. His aura and anger pressed down on me like a physical weight that I had to focus on not kneel. My wolf paced restlessly within me.
My father sat behind his desk. His eyes fixed on me with a re so intense that if looks could kill, I’d be dead
twice over now.
“I was very clear thest we spoke,” my father said, “to not embarrass me again, wasn’t I?”
“Father, I…”
“You let yourself be deceived by that whore,” my father spat, interrupting me. He stood up slowly, walking from behind his desk. I had known this confrontation wasing. My instinct told me to flee but I stood my ground.
“Father, I was doing what’s best for the pack.” I exined. “The Luna Ceremony can’t be cancelled because she sent the invitations long ago, so-”
“Wait. Did you know it?”
“What? I just…” I’m struggling to find the proper words.
“Don’t y games with me, son. Did you know about her taking the Redbone Flower to fake her pregnancy?” my father snapped.
I swallowed hard. “Yes.”
The vein in my father’s forehead pulsed as his eyes narrowed.
I held his eyes for a heartbeat and then dropped them, because I remembered exactly how many bones he had broken in me as a child after teaching me not to hold a stare too long.
His Alpha aura intensified, and I felt my wolf cower within me.
‘Move!’ my wolf warned but his warning came toote. My father’s fist connected with my chin. My head snapped back as blood sprayed. I stumbled backward. Before I could block, my father punched me again in the torso causing me to gasp for air.
“You dare to lie to me!!” he snarled, his voice booming causing the windows to rattle. “You knew she lied and still paraded her like a Luna.”
He continued to punch me until I was on my knees in a bloody mess.
I spat the blood out and looked up at my father. “Exposing the lie or cancelling the ceremony would cause damages. I intended to resolve it privately and quickly.”
My father pped me in the back of the head. “Tell me, genius, do you think you can fool the Elder Council, the Alpha King all along? Your idiotic decision would have doomed us!”
“I never thought Solon would find it…” I replied.
“Redbone Flower is a banned substance. Solon is bound to report it to the Alpha King. Other packs will question our strength, our leadership, because you could not see through the lies of a desperate, she-wolf,” my father signed.
CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
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I fought against my wolf, who begged me to lower my head further. I kept my posture rigid as I slowly stood. I had learned that showing submission or fear in front of him only prolonged the lesson as it was unbing of an Alpha.
“I ept responsibility,” I said. “I will fix it, Father.”
“You will not ‘fix it’ with more dys and idiotic decisions,” my father said as he sat back down at his desk. “You will end it.”
“Henry!”
His doors opened at once and Henry walked in. Henry took in my appearance only for a second. His eyes shed with concern before turning his attention to my father. His jaw flexed as he attempted to keep his expression neutral. Henry always hated seeing my father abuse me, but there was nothing he could do to help me.
“Where is the bitch Viki Mayers?” my father asked.
“In the dungeon,” Henry replied.
“Take Viki Mayers to the courtyard,” my father ordered. “Raise the gallows and hang her for all to see, so everyone will understand what happens to traitors to the pack. Do not listen to anything she says. If she weeps, if she begs, if she ims pregnancy again, if the Moon Goddesses down herself, ignore all of it. The order stands.”
Henry bowed his head in submission. “Yes, Sir.” He turned and left.
“Father, executing her like this will cause unrest. Her father will….”
“Will obey,” he said coldly, cutting me off again. “Because Roy will follow the lead of his Alpha. You have been too lenient, too amodating. You are Alpha not this low-level filth. Only Henry seems to be loyal to you, but that could change if you don’t get a grip on the situation.”
I swallowed back the urge to challenge him.
“As for you, you will contact the Alpha King.”
The shift in topic caught me off guard. “What? Why?”
“You will find a reason to visit Silverfang. I will oversee Shadoww while you are gone. That’s the n to fix ? your mistake.”
“The n?” I got even more confused.
“The Alpha King’s daughter,” my father said, his tone casual but deliberate. “She’s been out of the public eye for years… the one person he guards like a treasure.” His gaze sharpened. “You’re lucky she wasn’t here to see you embarrass yourself. That means you still have a chance.”
I frowned. “Father, you want me to marry her?”
“Exactly,” he said, leaning forward, “If you can win her, make her your Luna, you won’t just restore Shadoww’s honor. You might put yourself in line for the Alpha King’s throne without bloodshed.”
Such a union could lift Shadoww higher than any alliance we’d ever dreamed of-higher even than my father’s reign. The thought sent a rush of heat through me, though my wolf’s voice cut in, low and using. She’s not our
mate…
My chest tightened. “And what about Talia?” I asked, the name tasting like a betrayal. 1
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My father’s expression turned cold, slicing through the air between us. “That ship has sailed. She offers you nothing but sentiment-and sentiment will not raise this pack from the ashes.”
“I understand,” I said finally. My wolf dipped his head in submission, mirroring my outwardpliance.
My father stared at me for a long moment, trying to determine if I was lying, He finally nodded and said, “Good. Do not disappoint me again, Jason. We cannot afford another disy of weakness.”
“Father, I won’t disappoint you this time.” I bowed, ready to do whatever it took
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