AUTHOR POINT OF VIEW
The council chamber had been built long ago. before Cassian was born, or even before Lucien learned how to fight.
It was made of blood and sweat, from the old builder. It was very big and spacious. But tonight, the chamber felt smaller.
Not because of its size.
Because of the tension breathing inside it. Erlders had gathered early.
Six of them sat in high-backed chairs, their expressions blank and gloomy. The long oak table before them remains. They sat down waiting for the two brothers.
Cassian entered first.
He wore a dark look. Like he was sure as hell everything was going to work in his favour. If anyone looked closely, they might have noticed the slight tightness around his eyes.
But no one commented.
He bowed his head respectfully. "You requested the ledgers."
Elder Maren, the oldest among them, nodded once. "We did."
Cassian placed three thick books on the table carefully. He prepared himself so well the night before.
"These are the treasury records for the last six months," he said evenly. "It includes every transfer."
His tone was flawless, but his heart beat faster than normal.
Across the chamber doors, a loud footsteps approached, followed by a creak on the door.
Lucien entered without waiting to be announced.
He didn't bow, nor did he apologise for coming late.
He simply walked forward and stopped at the opposite end of the table, his gaze locking with Cassian's.
A challenge without words.
"Beta," Elder Corvin greeted coolly.
"For now," Lucien replied.
Cassian's brows furrowed softly, before returning back to normal.
Elder Maren leaned forward. "We will review the ledgers. Until then, you will both refrain from escalating this matter publicly."
Lucien smiled faintly. "Of course."
Cassian didn't look at him. Because he already knew something wasn't right.
Lucien never agreed that easily.
The chamber fell into an eerie quiet as the elders began turning the thick pages of the ledgers. Checking the numbers, dates, authorization stamps. And strangely everything seems orderly.
Elder Darius adjusted his spectacles and ran a finger down a column. "These southern allocations," he muttered. "Do you mean the border reinforcement after the last attack?"
"Yes," Cassian answered smoothly. "I increased the patrol warrior after the last rogue reports."Cassian lied, through gritted teeth.
"There were no rogue reports," Lucien said lightly.
Six of them lifted their head.
Cassian's eyes darted toward him, his eyes sharp as a blade, ready to devour anyone who went against him. Except that Lucien wasn't anyone.
"Not all information is always shared with the Beta."
Lucien clasped his hands behind his back, relaxed, almost bored. "Interesting. Because I oversee patrol rotation. And no additional men were deployed south."
His eyes moved from sarcastic to fearful, but he quickly wiped them off.
Elder Maren's gaze sharpened. "Alpha Cassian, was the Beta informed of this reinforcement?"
"It was a precautionary measure," Cassian replied. "Handled privately."
"Privately," Lucien echoed, tasting the word. "With treasury funds."
Cassian's jaw flexed. Before he could respond, the chamber doors opened again.
This time, the sound was softer.
But it echoed through the room. Araxie stepped inside.
She wore pale silver, ceremonial colours paired with a black shiltoues shoes.
Every elder straightened, shocked by her presence. She hasn't set foot in the council room before, except when she was summoned.
Cassian turned fully toward her. "You weren't summoned."
"No," she agreed calmly. "But I have something to say."
Lucien went very still.
Elder Maren studied her. "Speak, child."
Araxie walked forward with so much grace and pride. She did not stand beside Cassian.
She stood between both brothers.
"I believe," she said evenly, "if the council is reviewing treasury expenditures tied to southern reinforcement… then they should also review the correspondence attached to those expenditures."
The air shifted.
Cassian's voice dropped half a degree. "Araxie," he called in warning.
She did not flinch.
Instead, Araxie lifted her chin slightly, her expression calm and composed as if the weight of six elders, two rival brothers, and the future of the pack was nothing more than a feather.
"I simply think," she continued gently, "that the council deserves the full picture of everything."
Cassian's shoulders stiffened.
Lucien squinted his eyes.
Elder Maren gestured toward the table. "Explain."
Araxie walked the remaining distance to the oak table, her steps unhurried. The soft tap of her heels echoed in the council room.
She placed both hands lightly on the polished table right in front of her.
"The southern allocations are being questioned," she said. "But what the elders are seeing are only the numbers and the money spent."
Elder Darius frowned slightly. "Numbers and money are what we asked for."
"Yes," Araxie replied, her tone respectful. "But numbers and amount without context can easily become suspicion."
Lucien clenched his jaw, anticipating what was about to happen.
Cassian turned slowly toward her, watching every movement like a man trying to understand a language he had never heard before.
"You believe there is context we are missing?" Elder Corvin asked.
Araxie nodded once.
"I do."
She reached into the fold of her sleeve and pulled out a single piece of paper, she hid there.
Lucien's eyes widened immediately.
Cassian blinked once, clearly surprised.
Araxie placed the paper beside the ledgers.
"This is a record of external communication regarding the southern territories," she explained. "Negotiations that began shortly after the rogue attacks near the mountain."
Lucien straigh tened.
"There were no rogue attacks," he said flatly.
Araxie turned to him slowly.
"You didn't see them, you don't have information about them," she said calmly. "Because they didn't reach the central patrol routes."
The room grew quiet again.
Elder Maren looked down at the record.
"Explain," she repeated.
Araxie folded her hands neatly in front of her.
"Three months ago, several smaller packs near the southern border began reporting rogue activity. Not a large attacks. Just scouting parties."
Cassian stared at her.
She didn't look at him.
But she felt his attention like heat on her skin.
"Alpha Cassian decided not to alarm the entire pack," she continued smoothly. "Instead, he opened private communication with southern contacts to secure support if the situation escalated."
Lucien let out a short, humourless laugh.
"So that's the story?"
Araxie's gaze shifted to him briefly.
"It's not a story," she replied softly. "It's a strategy. "
The word landed heavily in the room.
Elder Darius turned a page of the ledger again. "And the funds?"
"For alliance preparation," Araxie said. "Travel, supply exchange, supports, and loyalty negotiations."
Lucien's eyes darkened.
"That's convenient."
Cassian finally moved.
He stepped closer to her, his voice low but firm.
"You're speaking on matters you were never involved in."
Araxie turned toward him then, and smiled faintly.
"Am I?"
Something passed between them.
Cassian searched her face, trying to understand what game she was playing.
Then slowly...
Something like satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
She was defending him, in front of the whole council and her ex.
Lucien saw it too.
His hands curled behind his back, suppressing his anger and frustration.
"A Luna defending her Alpha," Corvin murmured thoughtfully.
"Future Luna," Cassian corrected.
Araxie didn't correct him.
Lucien noticed.
And the silence and unspoken words between them filled the room with tension.
Elder Maren studied Araxie carefully. "And the name Lucas attached to the transfer?"
Araxie didn't hesitate.
"Lucas has connections among the southern traders," she said calmly. "He was used as an intermediary."
Lucien's voice dropped dangerously.
"You're defending a man who was accused of betraying the pack."
Araxie turned toward him fully now.
Her expression softened slightly.
"Sometimes," she said quietly, "a wolf is labelled a traitor simply because others don't understand the role he was given."
Lucien stared at her, searching her face.
Trying to find the truth hidden inside her words. Because something about this didn't feel right.
Cassian, however, was beginning to relax.
The tightness around his eyes eased.
He placed a hand lightly at the small of Araxie's back, in a possessive and affectionate way.
"Well spoken," he said softly.
The gesture was subtle.
But Lucien saw it, and that made his chest tighten.
Elder Darius closed one of the ledgers slowly. "If this is a strategic alliance operation, why was the council not informed?"
Cassian answered this time.
"Because premature disclosure could have compromised negotiations," he said smoothly.
Araxie felt his hand press slightly against her back.
Grateful.
Exactly what he wanted the elders to see.
Elder Maren leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful.
"The council will still review the documents," she said finally. "But if these actions were truly meant to strengthen the pack…"
Her gaze moved between them.
"…then the Luna bond and the ceremony may indeed play a stabilising role."
Cassian's lips curved faintly.
Lucien looked like he wanted to tear the entire room apart.
"Of course it does," Cassian said.
Then he turned toward Araxie fully.
The tension in his shoulders had vanished now.
Instead, his expression softened in a way few people had ever seen.
"You see?" he murmured quietly to her. "They only needed clarity."
His hand slid from her back to her wrist, holding it gently but firmly.
Pride shone openly in his eyes now.
"You always know exactly when to speak."
Araxie gave a small, modest smile. "I only said the truth."
Lucien's laugh came out sharp. "The truth?"
His gaze burned into her. "You're better at lies than I thought."
Cassian's head snapped toward him instantly.
"Watch your tone."
Lucien didn't move, his eyes never left Araxie.
"Tell me something," he said quietly. "When did you start choosing sides?"
The room fell silent again.
Araxie held his gaze for a long moment.
Then she slowly slipped her hand into Cassian's.
"I already did," she said softly.
Cassian's chest filled with satisfaction.
He lifted her hand and pressed a brief kiss against her knuckles.
It was just public display of affection, but also he was also laying a bold claim on her.
"Well," he said calmly, looking back at the elders. "If the council has no further accusations…"
Lucien turned away first.
But not before Araxie caught the flash of something in his eyes.
Not just anger.
Hurt, something more deeper and dangerous, an expression she has never seen on him.
And for the first time since she walked into the chamber,
Araxie knew the game had truly begun, she knew she had ttouchedthe snake by his tail, and itʼs sure gonna sting.