006

WAR COUNCIL

The wine glass broke against the fireplace, spilling red liquid on the white marble like blood. It dripped slowly.

"HOW DARE SHE!" Selene yelled, making the windows shake.

Her face was red and her temples bulged. She walked back and forth in the living room, her heels clicking loudly on the marble. Her hands shook with anger.

"That weak little omega is embarrassing us! Who does she think she is?"

Mira sat on the couch, tapping quickly on her phone. "Mom, it’s everywhere. Every site. #BlackwoodScandal is trending worldwide. Three million mentions in two hours."

"I don’t care about hashtags!" Selene turned to her. "I care about our name! Our reputation!"

"That’s what I’m saying," Mira replied, her voice getting higher. "Our name is ruined. Look." She held out her phone.

"Blackwood Alpha Exposed: Corruption, Embezzlement, and Betrayal."

There was a gala photo of Luna in a red dress, looking proud and cold. Selene grabbed the phone and read. Her face changed from red to a nasty purple. "This is slander. We’ll sue her."

"With what?" Mira's voice shook. "Dad's accounts are frozen. The pack's accounts are frozen. We can't even pay the electric bill."

Aria stood by the window, arms crossed, looking out at the dark yard. Her reflection seemed calm.

She turned slowly. "How did she do this?" Aria asked quietly. "How did that nobody become Luna Ashford? CEO of Phantom Industries? A billionaire?"

"She was always plotting," Selene said angrily. "Always scheming."

"No," Aria shook her head. "When she left, she was broken. I saw it in her face. She had nothing—no money, no friends, nothing."

"Five years," Aria said, her jaw tight. "In five years she went from nothing to this. That doesn’t just happen."

The front door slammed, shaking the chandelier. Damon walked in, his suit jacket hanging off one shoulder and his tie loose. He looked tired and defeated.

"Damon!" Selene rushed to him. "Thank God. We need to talk strategy—"

"I just came from the pack house." He interrupted her, his voice dull. "The elders called an emergency meeting." The room fell silent.

"And?" Selene whispered.

"They're taking away my Alpha title." The words hit the room hard.

Mira took a deep breath. Selene covered her mouth. Even Aria showed surprise for a moment before she hid it. "What?" Selene said quietly.

"Effective immediately," Damon said as he walked to the bar. He poured a strong drink and gulped it down. Then he poured more. "They said I brought shame to the pack. Broke pack rules. Hurt our finances. They're taking away my title and making Marcus Riverwood in charge for now."

"They can't do that!" Selene's voice was shaky. "You're a Blackwood! Your father was the leader!"

"They did," he said, staring into his drink. "It's done."

Mira jumped up, her phone shaking. "We need to fight this. Investors are leaving. Seventeen cancellations in the last hour. My whole business is falling apart—"

"Your I*******m is the least of our problems," Damon laughed bitterly. "We're about to lose everything."

"This is your fault!" Mira yelled. "You married that loser! You got us into this!"

"Mira," Aria said sharply. "That's enough."

"No!" Mira turned on her. "And you! Acting like you're helping us. Look where we are!"

Aria's eyes turned cold. "Watch your words."

"ENOUGH!" Selene shouted. Everyone stopped. She shook Damon. "We can fix this. We just need to think." But Damon wasn't looking at her. His eyes were on his phone, showing a picture from the gala. Luna in a stunning red dress, looking amazing.

"Damon!" Selene shook him harder.

Aria stepped in and held his face, forcing him to look at her. "Get it together. Every minute counts." Damon pulled away and hit the desk, scattering pens.

"What do I do, Aria?" His voice broke. "I've lost everything. The pack. The business. Our name. Where do I begin?" He hit the desk again. "No." His voice turned dark. "I won’t just accept this. If she wants a fight, I’ll show her what happens when you mess with a Blackwood."

"Yes!" Selene's eyes lit up with hope. "That's it. We fight back."

Aria agreed. "First, we stop the damage. Call the investors. Promise them anything."

"I will contact my European connections," she added. "My father still has influence."

"I will handle social media," Mira said. "Show old pictures of Luna. Make her look weak."

Selene nodded. "We can sue for defamation and theft."

"She left Kai," Aria said quietly. "Make her look like a gold-digger who left when she found something better." From the corner, Ryker laughed, enjoying the scene.

He stood up slowly, walked over to Damon, and smirked. "She looked amazing tonight."

Damon's jaw tightened. "Shut up."

"That dress. Her hair. The way she walked in like she owned the place." Ryker leaned closer. "Not the scared girl you married. A goddess."

"I said…."

"And part of you wants her back," Ryker whispered teasingly. "You made a huge mistake."

Damon grabbed him. "One more word….."

"But you can't have her," Ryker said, still smiling. "You’re stuck with your perfect heiress now." Aria didn’t respond.

Damon pushed Ryker away. "Get out."

Ryker straightened up, still grinning. "Nah. Watching you all scramble while she enjoys her money? Is better than anything on TV."

"You're sick," Mira said.

"Truth hurts," Ryker replied. "You treated her badly. Made her feel worthless." His laugh echoed in the room. "You deserve this." His gaze was steady on Damon.

Damon's wolf inside him stirred, wanting to attack Ryker, but the words stuck with him. Because Ryker was right. Luna had looked breathtaking. Part of him wanted her back. He couldn't help but remember how powerful she was.

But he had chosen Aria. He let his family hurt her and walked away.Now she was untouchable, and he felt like he was losing everything.

"Damon," Selene said. "Focus. We need a plan."

He looked around at his family—his mother’s anger, Mira’s panic, Aria's cold calm, and Ryker’s amusement. This was his family.This was his choice. And somewhere in the city, Luna was probably smiling.

"Fine," he said flatly. "We fight. Every connection. Every favor. We bring her down."

Selene nodded, satisfied. "That’s my boy."

But deep down, Damon felt they were already too late.