Chapter 76
Olivia's POV
My phone buzzed sharply, interrupting my train of thought. Seeing Derek’s name on the screen immediately set my nerves on edge.
“Olivia,” his voice was clipped, as always, but I caught the faint edge of urgency. “The Alpha Council has called an emergency meeting. You’re expected to attend.”
“Why?” I asked, gripping the phone tighter.
“Matthew is refusing to speak to anyone but you,” Derek said. “And the Council wants answers. Be here in an hour.”
The line went dead, leaving me with a growing knot of unease. This wasn’t a request it was a summons. I had no choice but to comply, whether I wanted to or not.
Anger permeated the Council chamber as I stepped through the heavy oak doors. The Alphas seated around the circular table looked up, their emotions a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and thinly veiled annoyance.
Derek stood near the head of the room, his imposing presence commanding silence. His eyes locked on mine briefly, unreadable as always. But I felt his frustration.
Matthew was nowhere to be seen.
A voice cut through the room. “Matthew has refused to speak to anyone but Olivia. We’re here because of her unique… position in this matter. Let’s see if this leads to anything actionable.”
Alpha Gideon’s tone was cold, businesslike, but I could sense an underlying tension in him. He didn’t trust Matthew any more than I did. That was surprising.
Derek cut in when he noticed me searching for the male in question. “He’s this way, I’ll show you to his… accommodations.”
Accommodations was a flowery word for cell. The Alpha Council had a dungeon, and it was exactly as expected.
Matthew sat in a dank room, his hands cuffed in front of him and his expression calm, almost disconcertingly so. When his gaze met mine, it held none of the swagger or support I’d come to associate with him.
Instead, there was something softer there, a shadow of regret that I wasn’t ready to believe.
I approached him cautiously, acutely aware of his eyes following every move I made. “You wanted to talk,” I said, my voice steady despite the nerves coiling in my stomach. “So, talk.”
Matthew leaned forward, his chains clinking softly. “I owe you the truth,” he began, his tone measured. “About who I am. About what I did and why.”
“Fine. Start with who you are,” I said, crossing my arms, keeping my posture firm.
He exhaled deeply, his eyes dropping for a moment. “My father is Alpha Jacob Calder, Chloe’s first mate. When she left him, she left me behind, too. I grew up watching her betray everyone who trusted her, including my father and me.”
Shock rippled through me, but I didn’t let it show. “And yet, you worked with her.”
His jaw tightened, and he looked away briefly. “At first, I wanted to bring her down. She’s the reason my family fell apart, why my father left my mother. But Chloe… I thought I could outmaneuver her, but she always had leverage.”
“And what about me?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. “Was I just another piece of leverage?”
His gaze snapped back to mine, earnest and pained. “No. At first, yes. But not anymore. I underestimated you, Olivia. I thought you were just a means to an end, but you’re more than that. You’re strong, brilliant, beautiful, and you’ve built something worth protecting. I didn’t expect to… care.”
Matthew’s admission threatened to break my heart. I felt the memory of every interaction we’d had, every moment I’d let my guard down around him. “Care,” I repeated, the word heavy on my tongue. “You manipulated me, lied to me, and now you expect me to believe this?”
He nodded slowly. “I don’t expect forgiveness. But I can give you something that might help.” Reaching into his pocket, under the watchful eyes of the guards, he pulled out a small flash drive and held it up. “Everything you need to take Chloe down is on here. Every deal, every connection, every lie.”
I hesitated, then took the drive from his outstretched hand. My fingers brushed his briefly, and for a moment, I thought I sensed longing in him. But my instincts had been wrong before.
“Why now?” I asked. “Why give this to me?”
“Because without my own Pak I can’t win this fight,” he said simply. “But you can. And… I meant what I said. I have feelings for you, Olivia. Real ones. Enough to do what I can to see you safe.”
I stepped back, clutching the flash drive tightly. “You don’t get redemption for confessing now. Whatever happens next, you’re accountable for the damage you’ve done.”
His expression didn’t waver, eyes locking with mine. “I know.”
Derek’s voice broke the silence. “Are we done here, Olivia?”
I nodded, eyes taking in Matthew one last time. “For now,” I said, my tone firm.
But as I walked back to the Chambers above, the flash drive pressed into my palm. What was truth, and what was just another layer of manipulation?
The room was tense with decades of power struggles pressing against the walls of the Council Chamber. Chloe stood with her usual regal confidence, her perfectly tailored suit and sharp smile belying the venom I knew she carried beneath.
I stepped forward, every muscle in my body taut, my mother’s pendant cool against my chest, grounding me in this moment.
“Luna Chloe,” I began, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. “We have substantial evidence linking you to rogue factions and attempts to destabilize not only Storm Haven but also Thorne Ridge Pack.”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile. “And what evidence would that be, Luna Olivia? Baseless accusations from a disgruntled Rogue?” Her voice was honeyed, yet sharp, calculated to turn the room against me.
I took a slow breath, forcing my emotions into focus. My empathy stirred, and I could feel the crackling anger she tried so hard to keep hidden. Beneath it, something more insidious lurked: fear.
“I’d caution you against underestimating what this Council is capable of uncovering,” I said, locking eyes with her. “Matthew Calder has confessed to working under your directives. He’s provided enough evidence to warrant an investigation.”
The faintest flicker of surprise crossed Chloe’s face before she quickly masked it with indifference. “Matthew Calder is a liar,” she said smoothly. “And a fool. I’ve had no dealings with him beyond medical affairs.”
“Liar or not,” I countered, “he had access to documents and communications that clearly implicate you. If you’re so certain of your innocence, then you shouldn’t fear an investigation.”
The Council murmured, the sound rippling like a distant storm. I could feel Derek’s gaze on me from across the room. He stepped forward, clearing his throat.
“Luna Olivia raises valid concerns,” Derek said, his voice calm yet commanding. “And given the seriousness of these allegations, I believe an investigation is warranted. It’s not just one Pack at stake – it’s the integrity of this Council.”
Chloe turned her sharp gaze to Derek, her mask of indifference slipping just enough to reveal the fury beneath. “Are you really siding with her, Derek?” she asked, her voice low and dangerous.
“I’m siding with the truth,” he replied, his tone brooking no argument.
Alpha Kelvin, seated toward the back, rose from his chair. His calm, authoritative voice cut through the tension. “I second the motion for an investigation. This Council owes it to all Packs to ensure no one is undermining our alliances or safety for personal gain.”
The room fell silent, and Chloe’s grip on her emotions tightened. My empathy pulsed again, catching the threads of her panic, though she hid it well.
“Then it’s settled,” the Chancellor announced. “Motion carried. A full investigation will proceed. Chloe, until its conclusion, your involvement on Council matters will be restricted.”
Chloe’s glare could have turned stone to ash, but I held my ground, refusing to let her intimidation touch me. As the Council adjourned, I met Derek’s gaze, his nod a quiet acknowledgment of the use of my power.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like we were finally turning things in our favor.
