Chapter 160

The next morning, Alexander behaved as if nothing had happened. By the time I exited the bedroom, he was already up and dressed, standing by the counter as the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. His phone was in his hand, and he seemed intently focused on whatever was on the screen.

“Good morning,” I said softly.

“Good morning,” he replied, looking up and offering me a warm smile.

“Are you working already?” I asked, glancing at his phone.

“Just a bit,” he said. “We’ve got about an hour before we need to leave for the council meeting. I’m going downstairs to take care of a few things. I’ll meet you in the lobby, and we can head to the car together. Sound good?”

“Yes,” I said with a nod. “I’ll see you then.”

I turned to the fridge to find something for breakfast as he grabbed his coffee and left the apartment.

An hour later, Alexander and I arrived at the council building. It had been quite some time since I’d attended one of these meetings. With everything so tense and chaotic lately, I hadn’t felt it appropriate to come.

I didn’t want to be a distraction—more importantly, I didn’t want to risk running into David or his father.

But this was the first meeting since the wedding, and Alexander and I needed to present a united front. It was crucial for us to be seen together, a visible sign of solidarity and strength.

Alexander stepped out of the car first, then turned to offer me his arm. I accepted it with a small smile, and together, we walked into the building.

Inside, we spent a few minutes greeting the other alphas and Lunas, exchanging polite conversation and pleasantries. The atmosphere was lively, filled with the hum of quiet conversations and shared laughter.

I spotted Alpha Derrick, but there was no sign of David, which was a relief.

We made our way into the meeting room, where groups of people stood engaged in quiet conversations. Near the front of the room stood the king, his imposing presence commanding attention.

As we entered, his gaze lifted, and a broad smile spread across his face. Without hesitation, he began walking toward us.

I felt Alexander tense beside me, a fleeting moment of unease, but it passed quickly.

“Ella,” the king greeted warmly. “It’s good to see you. How are you settling into married life?”

“Well enough, I think,” I replied with a polite smile. “We’re already falling into a routine.”

“That’s great to hear,” he said with genuine warmth. “It shows you’ve chosen a good partner.”

“Thank you,” I said, grateful for his kind words.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, his tone light but sincere. “I’m glad to see you back at the meetings. I’ve missed hearing your input.”

“And it’s good to see you as well, Alpha Black,” he continued, turning to Alexander. “There are some important issues to discuss today, and your attendance is appreciated.”

“Thank you, sir,” Alexander replied respectfully.

The king’s attention was soon drawn to the next couple entering the room, and he moved away to greet them with equal enthusiasm.

Alexander placed his arm lightly around my waist, guiding us to the side. “Shall we say hello to a few more people before things get started?” he murmured.

I nodded, and together we moved to greet a few familiar faces, exchanging polite words and handshakes.

As the meeting was about to begin, we took our seats. A buzz of excitement rippled through the room. Clearly, some people had heard the same rumors we had—that there might be a major announcement today.

But the king betrayed no hints of anything unusual. The first hour of the meeting unfolded as routine business, and I began to think that I had overreacted. Perhaps the elections weren’t happening as soon as I feared. Maybe we still had more time to prepare.

But I was wrong.

“If there’s no further business,” the king said, his voice steady as he slowly looked around the table, making deliberate eye contact with each of the Lunas and Alphas, “I have an important announcement to make.”

A buzz swept through the room as whispers broke out among the attendees, but it quieted quickly, leaving a heavy silence. All eyes were fixed on the king, waiting for him to continue.

“After careful consideration and discussions with my family,” he began, his tone calm but firm, “I have decided that it’s time for me to retire.”

Gasps rippled through the room. Some Alphas and Lunas exchanged stunned glances, while others simply froze. Under the table, Alexander reached for my hand, his grip firm and grounding.

My heart pounded in my chest. This was it—it was really happening.

Everything I had been doing to prevent the events of the original timeline could come undone if we didn’t manage to win this election.

I tightened my grip on Alexander’s hand, drawing strength from his presence. We had overcome so much together. I had to stay confident. We could do this.

“The preparations for an election to name my successor will begin immediately,” the king continued. “I have chosen not to endorse any candidate. I want the people to have their choice, free from the influence of my personal wishes.”

“When will the election take place?” someone asked.

“The end of next year,” the king replied.

Fourteen months. Not a lot of time.

I glanced around the table at the serious, contemplative expressions of the Alphas. The stakes were high. Choosing the wrong king could destabilize everything. And whoever stepped into that role would face the immense burden of leaving their pack behind, trusting their Beta to lead in their absence. Running for king wasn’t a decision made lightly.

My gaze landed on my father. He was staring at me, his expression unreadable. When his eyes shifted briefly to Alexander, I nodded discreetly. To my surprise, I thought I saw relief flash across his face.

There were a few more questions, but I barely registered them. Memories from the original timeline surfaced, vivid and unrelenting. I didn’t push them away. Anything I could recall now might prove invaluable.

The meeting was called to an end, and people began trickling out, chatting excitedly about what was to come. Some faces still reflected concern, their thoughts no doubt lingering on the gravity of the announcement.

My father approached Alexander and me, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. “You plan to run?”

“Yes,” Alexander replied confidently.

“You’ll have the full support of our pack,” my father said. “And there may be some publicity events soon that you can use to launch your campaign.”

“The solar grid,” I said, my excitement bubbling up.

“It’ll be ready to break ground in the spring,” my father confirmed. “We’ve been working closely with Alexander’s engineers. It’s a joint project between our two packs, and if it succeeds, we could expand it into other territories.”

“That’s fantastic,” Alexander said. “We’ll set up a meeting to go over the details. I’m sure Ella would love to take a little trip home and have dinner with you both.”

“I would,” I agreed, smiling up at Alexander.

“Great,” my father said with a nod. “We’ll talk soon to finalize the details. It was good to see you both.”

“You too,” I said, stepping forward to hug my father tightly. His strong arms wrapped around me, and for a moment, I let myself feel the comfort of his presence.

When I pulled away, I caught the proud look in his eyes, a warmth that settled deep in my chest. He gave us a final nod before heading toward the exit.

By now, most of the attendees had left the meeting room, but the king remained, standing at the far end with his gaze fixed on Alexander. His expression was serious, and he motioned for us to approach.

Alexander and I made our way toward him.

“I wanted to give you an update,” the king began, his voice low and measured now that the room was nearly empty.

“An update?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“On the situation with David Lake,” the king said gravely. “I want you to know that my investigation never stalled. We’ve been compiling evidence against him with the help of your father’s men and Alexander’s investigators. I’m confident that soon we’ll have enough to make a move against him.”