MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 177: Elder Council

Chapter 177: Elder Council

The council chamber buzzed with tension as the senior members of the Pack sat around the crescent-shaped table.

At one end, Elder Collins sat stiffly, his gnarled hands clenched on the polished wood. The chaos that now plagued the Pack had begun with his sister’s children, and the weight of that shame pressed heavily on his shoulders.

Elder Benjamin, a feeble old man, spoke first. His sharp gaze swept the room. "The temple was desecrated," he said, voice low and cold. "A crater in the wall. Burn marks scorched into sacred stone. And not a single soul saw who did it?"

He was the oldest among them and only ever attended meetings when the matter was grave.

"There was." Elder Maya replied, her silver hair framed a face as hard as rock. "The warriors reported hearing voices. When they arrived, the temple was empty, but they caught Luna Reana’s scent... and another. They say it was foreign, unidentifiable, and powerfully male."

All eyes shifted to Reana.

She sat at the head of the table, eyes closed and head resting lightly against the high-backed chair.

Beta Thane leaned forward, wincing through his injuries. "Luna... did you see anything?"

"He threw a fireball. That’s what caused the crater," she said. Her voice was disturbingly calm, yet her eyes remained closed. She didn’t want to look at them while she lied and concealed that shameless man – Ryder’s involvement.

"He?" Benjamin’s voice sharpened. "You saw who did it?"

"He called himself my mate," she breathed, and the slightest tremor betrayed her, hinting that the matter was more serious than they imagined. "My wolf acknowledged him... but that person is no ordinary..."

Silence.

A chilling stillness fell over the room before it burst into murmurs, gasps, and rising panic.

Reana continued, her voice barely a whisper. "The goddess chose him... but something darker allowed him to walk into our sacred ground without resistance."

"Darker?" Elder Maaya echoed, her brow furrowing slightly. "Explain, Luna."

Reana finally opened her eyes and sat upright. Her cold gaze swept across the table. "There was something inside him. Something powerful... and wrong. Like he didn’t belong to this realm. My wolf wanted him, but my soul recoiled. He could appear and also vanish into thin air, leaving no traces behind."

"What? Does such a thing exist?" The younger elders were in awe, yet, they couldn’t contain the shiver that ran through their spines.

As for the older elders, it felt like they’d swallowed flies – Their eyes were wide with horror, especially the living ancestor, Benjamin. But they didn’t speak immediately.

After a long pause, Elder Beth, who had remained silent until now, spoke. "They say the goddess is angry."

Another elder, voice trembling with age, murmured, "The sacred graveyard was destroyed this morning. Kael became possessed and slaughtered dozens of warriors. And now this strange person appears? We’ve been abandoned. The goddess has sent her punishment in the form of a man!"

"This is what happens when we extend friendship to the cursed Dark Snow Pack," someone snapped. "They rejected the goddess and worshiped their Alpha. And now, we’ve earned the goddess’ ire!"

"And one of them still lives under our roof! They brought this wrath upon us!"

The room erupted with accusations and unrest.

Reana sat still, watching the chaos unfold. Anger churned within her, but her face remained unreadable. How dare they blame her Ryder?

To not lash out, she shut her eyes again and rested her head.

Well, technically, they weren’t wrong, but Reana didn’t see it that way.

Elder Beth’s voice rose above others. "We should consult the Oracles," she said gravely. "If the goddess is truly angered, only they can interpret her will."

The room quieted, considering the suggestion.

Reana’s eyes snapped open. If an Oracle pointed to Ryder, it would be a disaster she couldn’t control.

"No," her voice sliced through the air like a blade. "The woods are crawling with monsters and rogues. Sending emissaries out now would endanger their lives." She lifted her chin. "The goddess is not angry. She may be warning us."

Moreover, it was true that the disaster didn’t come from the goddess, so why make a fuss and draw the goddess’ attention?

The elders stilled.

"Warning us of what?" Beta Thane asked, frowning.

Reana’s lips curved a lost imperceptibly into a mirthless smile. "Of what’s coming."

Elder Maaya’s eyes narrowed. "You speak in riddles, Luna. Speak plainly. What do you know?"

Reana knew better than to lie outright just to cover up for Ryder – at least not in a way that could come back and bite her. Even she couldn’t believe how far she was willing to go to protect Ryder’s ass.

"The winter came early this year, didn’t you notice?" she began, sighing bitterly.

They all nodded. It was strange, but no one had questioned it... until now.

"I warned you." She continued. "This winter would be unlike any we’ve faced. It’s why I ordered the Pack’s defenses to be strengthened."

She continued, tone deliberate, "As for the graveyard, perhaps the goddess is reminding us to respect the boundaries we’ve long ignored. Kael’s possession could have been the result of his desecration."

What Reana didn’t know was that Ryder had caused the graveyard’s destruction out of anger.

"As for the temple, the strange scent, the attack on me months ago..." she paused, recalling those assassins who tried to eliminate her months ago. Till this day, they still didn’t know who those people were. And now, she was going to take advantage of it. "These are not random events. They’re deliberate. They’re meant to provoke us."

The air thickened with her words, as if the room itself held its breath.

"There are forces at work beyond our understanding. Ones that do not follow our rules. If we ignore the signs, we’ll lose more than just sacred places."

Elder Jaxson shifted uncomfortably. "What exactly are we facing, Luna? What have we angered?"

Reana’s gaze met each elder in turn. "It may not have angered anyone, but I believe that we’ve somehow caught the eyes of hidden enemies who want our pack..."

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