Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 210: Menace

Chapter 210: Menace

"That’s it? That’s all we’re going to hear?" Leon barked from his seat, throwing up his hands. "What more do you need to know that Lucas is a menace—even before he had any unnatural power?"

His voice was loud, his tone indignant, but the room wasn’t buying what he was selling. Leon was trying too hard.

Councilman Eryx, gave a long-suffering sigh. He looked at Leon.

"That," he said slowly, deliberately, "is exactly why we’re all here today, Alpha Leon. To discuss. Not to condemn. Not to jump to conclusions. Lucas Raventhorn may be reckless—some may even say arrogant—but these are accusations, not convictions. Until proof is placed on this table, we do not have the authority to strip a man of his title. Even an Alpha."

There was a murmuring around the circular table. A few alphas nodded solemnly, others frowned thoughtfully.

Leon sat down reluctantly, every twitch of his jaw screaming injustice! even if his mouth stayed shut. Eryx had spiked his momentum, and now he had to sit and wait for another chance to steer the ship off the cliff.

Then, Alpha Jackson stood up.

The room stilled a little. Jackson rarely spoke. He was a war general turned peacemaker. When he did speak, it was measured and slow.

"I do not agree with these accusations," Jackson said, his deep voice rumbling through the chamber. "I have known Lucas Raventhorn for years. Whispering from the shadows has never been his style. He does not plot quietly. He does not poison wells. He kicks the damn door down and sets the barn on fire."

There were chuckles. Even Councilman Eryx smirked.

"Tell me," Jackson went on, folding his arms, "if Lucas blew up an entire pack, do you really think he’d slink away into the night and deny it? No. He’d watch it burn while drinking a beer, then go brag about it."

More laughter.

"Lucas is a showman," Jackson said with finality. "A brute. And yes, sometimes an arrogant son of a bitch. But he basks in his defeats and shouts about his victories. He is many things, but secretive is not one of them. If he wanted someone dead, we’d all know. There’d be banners. And probably fireworks."

There was a ripple of amusement and a quiet hum of agreement.

"And more importantly," Jackson added, leveling his gaze across the table, "if we come together now and pass judgment on a man based only on rumors and suspicion, we’re not just risking one Alpha’s future—we are putting all of ours on the line. Because if Lucas can be brought down by whispers, then so can any of us."

That landed like a stone. Hard. Heavy. Undeniable.

"Today, it’s him. Tomorrow, it’s me. Then you. Then you," he said, pointing casually at Alphas seated across the circle. "Every single one of us has enemies. Wolves whisper in every shadow. You want to make it a precedent to oust an Alpha based only on that?" He shook his head. "Then may the moon goddess help us all when it’s our turn."

Dennis, still hidden and listening, had to bite his knuckles to keep from laughing. Bless this man, he thought. Alpha Jackson, you poetic old bear. He was so good, Dennis half-wondered if he should bring him a fruit basket later.

Leon, meanwhile, fumed silently. His plan was slipping right through his claws. And worse, it was being undone not by passion or a fight, but by reason. Ugh.

"Well," Councilman Eryx finally said, nodding slowly. "Thank you, Alpha Jackson. A reminder that strength is not always the loudest voice, nor the sharpest blade. Let us continue."

Alpha Jackson sat back down. His broad shoulders relaxed into the worn leather of his chair, and his fingers laced loosely across his stomach.

A quiet murmur of assent swept through the room. Alphas nodded, not just out of political correctness, but genuine agreement. Even those who disliked Lucas had to admit—it was true. If Lucas had committed the murders, he’d probably have posted about it on every street. All except Leon.

Leon sat like a man chewing on gravel. His jaw twitched, eyes darting from one face to another as he realized that, despite all the whispers he’d planted and the seeds of doubt he’d watered, the harvest had yielded jack squat. This was not how today was supposed to go. He was supposed to walk out of this room with Lucas dethroned. Instead, he was watching his carefully constructed dominoes refuse to fall.

Another Alpha, a graying wolf from the southern ridges, cleared his throat. "Lucas may be short-fused, yes, but his Luna has had a great calming effect on him. He’s grown more diplomatic. More...tolerable."

"Tolerable?" Leon spat. "King Herod of the North died under Lucas’s watch—with a noose around his neck. And now he’s back in the east, and guess what? Two more deaths, same method. What are we doing here? Playing fetch with denial?"

Leon jabbed a finger at the table, voice now a growl. "If it looks like shit, and smells like shit, then it most definitely is shit. You can’t perfume a pile and call it roses."

Councilman Eryx sighed. He leaned forward, placing both hands flat on the table. "Enough, Alpha Leon. We’re here to vote."

He paused, letting his gaze sweep across the room. "All those in favor of giving Alpha Lucas Raventhorn more time to prove his innocence, show your hands."

One by one, hands were raised but all of them went up.

All except Leon’s.

"I guess that’s it then," Eryx said, banging the gavel. "Meeting adjourned."

*****

The blood drained from Lucas’s face. He sat there in stunned silence as Dennis relayed everything—every hand that had gone up, every word Alpha Jackson had said, every overreaching line Leon had spewed.

"Leon?" Lucas whispered.

"Yep," Dennis said, sitting casually on the edge of the desk. "Apparently, he’s grown a pair. Wasn’t he always the butt of everyone’s jokes about his cowardice?"

Lucas turned to Ava, who was curled up on the oversized armchair in the corner of his office. She had one leg propped up on the armrest and her hand lazily rubbing circles over her swollen belly, a habit that had become her unconscious comfort whenever tensions in the room spiked.

"You were right," Lucas said.

Ava arched one brow but didn’t even pretend to be surprised. "Of course I was right. I always am. It’s part of my charm."

Lucas let out a dry snort.

She exhaled slowly. "I know Leon. This... this is exactly the sort of manipulative shit he’d pull. What I didn’t expect was the murder. That’s a whole new level of crazy for him."

Lucas paced in front of the desk, each step echoing in the quiet room. "You think he’s working with another alpha?"

"Maybe. But like Dennis said, none of the others backed him at the meeting. He was the only fool left standing. If he has help, it’s not someone wearing a title."

Dennis chimed in from where he leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Could be a rogue alpha. Someone stripped of their rank but still with a grudge and enough influence to stir chaos."

Lucas scratched his chin, eyes narrowing. "Then maybe I need to give them what they want. Since Leon’s targeting people I’ve had conflicts with, I say we give them more conflict. I stage a fight—someone public, loud, messy."

Ava’s head jerked up. "What, you want to paint a target on your own back now? Brilliant idea, babe. Really."

Lucas ignored her sarcasm. "Think about it. If we pick the right target, make it look personal, he’ll strike again. And this time, we’ll be ready."

Dennis nodded slowly, though his brows were drawn in concern. "It has to be subtle. Clean. You can’t go full Raventhorn rage mode or the council’s going to assume you’re abusing power. Again."

Lucas waved him off. "Please. I’m always a little abusive with power. It’s part of my alpha mystique."

Ava grunted as she pushed herself up from the chair, one hand under her belly, the other gripping the armrest.

"Guys, I’m taking a break. I feel like someone filled my uterus with bricks and set them on fire."

Lucas immediately moved to help her, but she swatted his hand away. "Don’t. I’ve got this."

Dennis watched her wobble toward the door, amused. "Damn, you’re quite heavy now, aren’t you?"

Ava paused dramatically in the doorway, flipping him the middle finger without looking back. "Fuck you. You try carrying a Raventhorn child. Judging by how big both of you are, I’m shocked I haven’t tipped over yet. I swear, this child is either building muscle in there or rearranging my internal organs."

Dennis barked out a laugh as she walked out.

"The pregnancy is taking a lot out of her and giving a lot in return. Like her anger. She is like a volcano." Lucas commented.

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