Chapter 4

Declan's POV:

The council chamber felt smaller than usual with me seated at the head, fingers drumming once against the wood before I forced them still. My mother, Victoria, occupied the chair to my right, her posture ramrod straight, lips pressed into that familiar line of disapproval. The Elders, five of them, all gray-haired, filled the rest of the seats, eyes boring into me like I had personally betrayed the pack.

Elder Harlan leaned forward first, his deep voice cutting through the silence. “Alpha Declan, the entire pack is unsettled by this sudden divorce. We were never consulted, and the council received no word beforehand. What exactly led to the end of your marriage with Maya, and why did you move forward without involving us?”

I had been so furious the day she demanded for a divorce that I forgot to speak to anyone. Instead, I had my Beta make the announcement online, convinced she would come crawling back because I knew how deeply she felt for me. For days afterward I had stared at my phone, caught between confusion and a strange hope that she would call, that she would remember everything I had done for her family and realize she couldn’t live without me but she didn't.

Instead she reminded me about the papers, so I signed them in frustration but I couldn’t tell the Elders any of that. It would make me look weak, impulsive, and far too human for an Alpha who was supposed to embody control so I drew in a slow breath and met their eyes one by one.

“Maya proved infertile after five years of marriage. She couldn’t give me an heir, and the pack needs continuity above all else. Samantha bore me a son six years ago and now that she is no longer married to Nolan, I can finally make her my wife. Devlin will become my heir and secure the bloodline for the future.”

The words hung in the air for a moment. My mother’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she remained silent, watching me with that sharp, assessing gaze she had perfected over the years while Elder Harlan stroked his beard thoughtfully, exchanging glances with the others.

One by one, they nodded, the tension easing from their shoulders as the logic of succession settled over them. “Practical.” Harlan said at last, his tone carrying a note of approval. “Blood and duty must come first. The council accepts this explanation. The line must continue.”

The Elders seemed satisfied, murmuring among themselves about the stability this would bring. But the pack itself was another matter entirely. By evening the murmurs had swelled into something louder and more restless. I stood on the balcony overlooking the central square, watching clusters of wolves gather under the streetlamps, their phones lighting up their faces as they scrolled through feeds already buzzing with speculation.

In no time, Samantha’s name would be whispered everywhere, they would drag her through the mud, piling controversy on top of controversy and I couldn't time because she was already carrying enough scars from the past.

So, I pulled out my phone and dialed Maya’s number before second-guessing myself. The line rang twice, and when she answered, her voice sounded unexpectedly light, almost hopeful.

“Declan?” I kept my tone even and direct. “We need to hold a joint conference. We’ll explain to the people that our marriage was one of convenience from the beginning and that this is a mutual divorce with no hard feelings. It will help smooth things over so Samantha can step into her role as Luna without being torn apart online.”

There was a pause, then her voice turned cold. “No.”

“Maya, this isn’t just about me. Samantha has already been through enough public scrutiny. A united front from both of us would quiet the rumors before they spiral.”

“I said no.” The line went dead with a beep and I stared at the blank screen. Part of me had hoped the sound of my voice might crack through whatever walls she had built, that she might remember how much she had always cared. But she had dismissed me so coldly, as if the years between us meant nothing.

Since she refused to help, I had no choice but to face the pack alone. The next morning I called the conference in the grand hall. Cameras rolled live, microphones waited at the podium, and the hall filled with the hum of voices as wolves from every corner of Bloodhound gathered or tuned in from their homes.

I stood tall in a black shirt bearing the pack emblem, and looked straight into the lenses. “Five years ago I entered a marriage of convenience with Maya to help stabilize her family during a difficult time and to strengthen our pack’s position. It served its purpose for both of us so we finalized a mutual divorce a few days ago.”

Taking a deep breath, I paused then continued. “I promise that this won't cause any political instability, or disruption to your daily lives or your livelihoods. I have been your Alpha since my father’s passing, honest with you, committed to every one of you, always putting the pack first. For the first time, I am asking directly for your support. Do not make Samantha’s life or my son Devlin’s life harder than it already has been. Give them the welcome and the peace they deserve as they join us here.”

The hall fell into a heavy silence for several heartbeats. Then a low murmur rose, building steadily until it broke into scattered applause that soon filled the rafters. Relieved, I felt the knot that had been sitting heavy in my chest for days loosen, knowing that one problem had been solved.

With that weight lifted, I threw myself into preparations for the wedding and for the first time in months the future felt solid again, like something I could hold onto until the Elders called for an emergency meeting without warning.

I walked back into the council chamber at dusk, the air thick with tension and the scent of fresh ink from the maps spread across the table. My mother was already seated, her face unusually pale, while the five Elders sat rigid in their places and Harlan wasted no time.

“The rogue who seized his first pack six months ago has now taken control of nine territories in total. He rules more packs than any Alpha in the northern region, while you stand second with your five. And his latest conquest is the pack directly bordering our Bloodhound lands.”

I had known about the mysterious rogue months earlier, some nameless wolf carving his way through weaker packs, but so much had consumed my attention since then. Samantha’s divorce, the chaos of bringing her and Devlin home, then Maya’s sudden demand for divorce and the paperwork that followed.

The last report I had truly registered placed him at three territories, and even then I didn't pay much attention to it because I had been too focused on rebuilding my life with Samantha. But I never expected the next update to reveal he had swallowed nine packs whole while I looked the other way.

I paced the length of the table, boots thudding softly against the stone floor. “How is this possible? He had no name, no significant army when this started.”

Elder Mira leaned forward, her voice steady but grave. “He has both now. Rogues have flocked to his banner, and the packs he conquers either bend the knee or break completely. He strikes at night with ruthless precision and offers defeated Elders a stark choice, loyalty or death. The ninth pack he claimed sits right on our border, Declan. The Night Reaper, as he is now called, could turn his eyes toward your five territories next.”

Fear coiled tight in my gut, as her words echoed in my head. If it came to open conflict, he would almost certainly win. His rogue faction alone was fierce and unburdened by tradition, and now he commanded the combined warriors, resources, and finances of nine packs. My five territories were strong and loyal, but they could not match that scale.

I stopped pacing and faced them. “What can we do to avoid war? Because if it comes to battle, the odds are heavily against us. He has the numbers, the loyalty of conquered packs, and the wealth to sustain a long campaign.”

Harlan spread his hands. “The clearest path is to partner with the other Alphas across the northern region. Pool our forces into one large army capable of meeting him head-on and deterring any further expansion.”

I let out a short, bitter laugh. “That sounds good in theory, but most of those Alphas are already struggling. Their packs face financial strain and internal unrest. Many have quietly approached me about merging with Bloodhound just to survive so they have neither the money nor the warriors to spare for a united front. The only Alpha with real resources and three solid packs under his control right now is Nolan, Samantha’s ex-husband.” I met their eyes. “ And he is not an option.”

The chamber fell quiet again, the weight of limited choices pressing down on all of us as I rubbed a hand over my jaw, mind racing through every possibility until only one remained. “Ths only realistic solution is to form an alliance with the rogue himself. Once the struggling packs merge with us, we could stand together as the two strongest leaders in the entire northern region, with shared power, shared prosperity, and a balance that prevents further bloodshed.”

My mother’s gaze sharpened on me, but she held her tongue. I wrote the letter that same night in the quiet of my study, the pen moving steadily across the page even as doubt gnawed at my insides. I kept the tone confident, laying out a vision of two Alphas ruling the north side by side once the weaker packs consolidated under my banner.

Then I sealed it carefully and handed it to my fastest, most trusted scout, sending him toward the border under the cover of darkness. Deep down I expected rejection, perhaps even contemptuous silence.

The reply arrived at dawn two days later, carried by a lone rider dressed in black with no banner or insignia. I tore open the envelope in the dim light of the study, heart hammering against my ribs as I scanned the lines. According to the letter, the Night Reaper had agreed to the alliance but only on one condition.

“Your former Luna, Maya, will be given to me as my wife. Only then will the alliance stand.” I read aloud for the tenth time as I sank slowly into the chair behind my desk, the letter crumpling slightly in my tightening fist.