Chapter 222: A Wolf’s Desperate Gambit
Chapter 222: A Wolf’s Desperate Gambit
(Celeste’s POV)
“This silver–scarred b***h seduced my son!” Sandra Moore’s voice cut through the tense
silence of the Moore pack grounds.
Her accusation hung in the air, her face contorted with fury. Blood stained her expensive dress
– Jason’s blood. A crowd of Moore pack members had gathered around us, their eyes burning
with judgment.
“When he rejected her advances, she attacked him!” Sandra continued, pointing a trembling
finger at me. “She stabbed my son in the eye!”
I stood there, my clothes still splattered with Jason’s blood, the silver dagger long confiscated
by the beta guards. Matthew stood protectively beside me, his silver–gray wolf surging
beneath his skin.
Sandra turned to her pack staff, who stood at attention behind her. “You all witnessed it, didn’t
you? How this Winter Pack outcast tried to seduce my son?”
“Yes,” they chorused obediently. “We saw everything.”
My blood ran cold. Of course they would corroborate her story. They were her pawns, each one carefully positioned to support her lies.
Matthew stepped forward, his face dark with rage. “That’s absurd! Celeste would never-”
I placed my hand on his arm, stopping him. This was my battle to fight. I could see the anger building in him, threatening to explode. If he lost control, the consequences would fall not just
on him but on his family as well.
I moved forward, my voice carrying across the gathering with quiet force.
“I’d like to address everyone present,” I began, my silver–scarred wolf lending me strength despite my exhaustion. “Jason Moore, known throughout the territories for his unsavory behavior, lured me here with a forged invitation bearing Senior Council Member Moore’s seal.”
Senior Council Member Moore, who had remained silent until now, looked sharply at his daughter–in–law. Sandra’s face paled slightly.
“He intended to force a mate marking upon me,” I continued, my voice steady. “When I
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resisted, he attacked me.”
Sandra tried to interrupt. “Lies! My son would never-”
I raised my voice, cutting her off. “What Luna Moore truly wants is for me to forfeit an eye for
her son’s injury.”
The gathered wolves murmured among themselves. Such ancient forms of justice were rarely invoked anymore, except in the most serious of pack disputes.
My hand moved to my boot, where I kept a small silver dagger – a backup weapon after my first had been taken. I pulled it out, the blade catching the afternoon sunlight.
“Very well,” I declared, holding the dagger up for all to see. “I will take responsibility for my
actions.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Matthew tensed beside me, his silver–gray eyes widening
with horror as he realized my intent.
I raised the dagger toward my face, my hand steady despite the fear coursing through me. The act would be agonizing, but if it would end this nightmare and protect Matthew’s family from
retribution, I would do it.
Senior Council Member Moore watched, his expression calculating. He understood the implications of such a public act against his household. If I blinded myself at his pack grounds, the story would spread through all territories. Questions would be asked. Investigations would follow.
Just as the dagger neared my eye, a strong hand grabbed my wrist, stopping its movement.
“No!” Matthew’s voice was a pained howl.
(Matthew’s POV)
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The silver dagger in Celeste’s hand glinted cruelly in the sunlight as she prepared to blind herself.
My wolf roared inside me, propelling me forward. I grabbed her wrist just in time, my grip firm but gentle.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, my voice breaking with emotion.
Her violet eyes met mine, filled with terrible resolve. “Ending this,” she whispered.
Sandra Moore’s mocking laughter drew my attention. “How touching,” she sneered. “But
justice must be served. My son has lost his eye because of her. The ancient pack laws are
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clear an eye for an eye.”
My patience snapped. This manipulative she wolf had orchestrated the entire situation. Her son had attempted to force himself on Celeste, and now she dared demand retribution?
- Points
I looked at the Senior Council Member, expecting him to intervene, to show some sense of fairness. But his expression remained impassive. His silence spoke volumes challenge his daughter–in–law’s demands, not without significant cause.
he would not
A terrible calm settled over me as I made my decision.
–
“If someone must pay the price,” I declared, taking the silver dagger from Celeste’s hand, “then I will do it.”
Celeste’s face drained of color. “Matthew, no!”
“I’m her intended mate,” I continued, addressing the Senior Council Member directly. “Her actions are my responsibility.”
Sandra’s expression faltered briefly. She hadn’t expected this turn of events.
I turned the dagger toward my own face, my decision made. The silver would burn, would damage my wolf permanently, but Celeste was worth the sacrifice.
“Matthew!” Celeste cried out, lunging toward me.
I held her back with one arm, keeping the dagger steady with the other. “It’s alright,” I told her softly. “I can live with one eye.”
The gathered crowd watched in stunned silence as I brought the silver blade toward my eye. I could feel its burn already, the silver reacting with my wolf’s energy even before touching my skin.
Just as the tip nearly reached my eyelid, something struck my hand with incredible force. The dagger clattered to the ground, a small stone lying beside it.
A hushed silence fell over the crowd. In the distance, an SUV approached – sleek, black, bearing the unmistakable emblem of the Steele family. My heart raced. Had Alexander somehow learned of our situation?
The vehicle stopped. The door opened, but the wolf who emerged was not Alexander.
My breath caught in my throat. “Commander?”
Kane Steele stood before us, sickly and pale, leaning heavily on an ornate silver cane. Despite his weakened state, his presence commanded immediate respect. I had served under him for
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years in the Alpha King’s elite guard, before his silver poisoning had forced him into seclusion.
His eyes, the same ice blue as Alexander’s, took in the scene before him. Though his body was frail, his gaze remained sharp and assessing.
“Matthew Sterling,” he said, his voice quiet but carrying clear authority. “Still acting rashly, I
see.”
(Celeste’s POV)
Kane Steele. Alexander’s older brother. The legendary warrior who had saved the Alpha King’s life during an assassination attempt, suffering near–fatal silver poisoning in the process.
He walked with careful, measured steps toward Senior Council Member Moore, who had risen
from his seat in surprise.
“Senior Council Member,” Kane greeted formally, inclining his head slightly. “It’s been too long.”
“Kane Steele,” the elder wolf responded, genuine warmth coloring his tone. “Indeed it has. Your
health…”
Kane waved away the concern. “Improving, slowly. But I didn’t come to discuss my condition.”
He gestured toward Matthew and me. “I understand there’s been an incident involving my
former second–in–command.”
Matthew stood straighter at being acknowledged, his posture automatically shifting to military precision as it likely had during his service.
Kane continued, his voice calm and deliberate. “Matthew Sterling served directly under my
command for five years in the Alpha King’s elite guard. His actions, regardless of their nature,
ultimately reflect upon me as his superior.”
He turned to face Senior Council Member Moore fully. “I take responsibility.”
Sandra Moore stepped forward, bristling with indignation. “This doesn’t concern the Steele family! This woman attacked my son. She took his eye!”
Kane barely spared her a glance. “Madam, I believe I was addressing the Senior Council Member.”
The dismissal was so subtle yet so complete that Sandra physically recoiled.
× ≥ F Y 2 F
Kane returned his attention to the elder Moore. “You and I have history, Senior Council Member. You once told me you owed me a debt for saving your grandson during the Northern Territory conflict.”
Chapter 222 A Wolfs Desperate.
The Senior Council Member’s expression shifted, recognition and memory flashing across his
weathered face.
“I’m calling in that debt,” Kane stated simply. “I ask for leniency toward both Matthew Sterling
and Celeste Winters.”
Sandra’s outrage exploded. “Father! You cannot possibly consider-”
“Silence.” The Senior Council Member’s command was soft but carried the full weight of his
dominant wolf.
He studied Kane for a long moment, then glanced at Jason’s mother. “Was the invitation forged, Sandra?”
Her hesitation was answer enough.
The Senior Council Member sighed, a sound heavy with disappointment. “My grandson has
always been… problematic. This is not his first attempt at forcing a mate marking.”
Sandra’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. “He is your heir! Your blood! And that
girl nearly killed him!”
“And yet,” he replied coolly, “I find myself more disturbed by your actions than by hers.”
He turned back to Kane. “It has been many years since you saved my grandson’s life. I had not forgotten my debt.”
His gaze moved to Matthew and me. “I recognize Jason’s wrongdoing in this matter. For the
sake of my debt to Kane Steele, I will grant leniency. You may leave without further
consequence.”
Relief flooded through me, so intense I nearly swayed on my feet. Matthew’s hand found mine,
his fingers intertwining with my own.
Sandra was not so easily silenced. “This is outrageous! I demand justice! My son’s eye-”
“Was lost through his own actions,” the Senior Council Member interrupted, his wolf suddenly
surging with dominance. The display of power was startling, especially from a wolf of his age.
Sandra fell silent, her wolf submitting instantly to the superior force.
“Take her inside,” he ordered two beta guards, who immediately moved to escort Sandra away. Her protests continued, but grew fainter as they led her back to the pack house.
The Senior Council Member turned to Kane once more. “I’ve missed your counsel, Commander Steele. The pack territories are not the same without your presence.”
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Kane’s lip twitched in what might have been an attempt at a smile. “You’ve made the right
decision today.”
The elder wolf nodded. “I trust your judgment in this matter.”
With that brief exchange, it was over. Kane glanced at me, acknowledging me with a slight nod. There was something in his ice–blue eyes – curiosity, perhaps, or recognition. Whatever it was, it passed quickly.
Without another word, Kane Steele turned and made his way back to the waiting SUV, each step careful and measured. The crowd parted for him, respect evident in their deference.
