All Chapters of The Alpha's Breeding Pet : Chapter 91 - Chapter 99

ARIA'S POVThree days.That's all we had before the Council of Alphas arrived to pass judgment.I sat in the infirmary, letting a healer stitch the gash on my forehead while Caelan paced like a caged animal. His own wounds had been bandaged, but he'd refused to rest. Refused to do anything except plan for the coming storm."You need to sleep," I said for the third time in as many hours."I need to figure out how to keep you alive." He stopped pacing long enough to look at me. "The Council doesn't negotiate. Doesn't compromise. If they've decided you're a violation of their laws, they'll take you by force.""Then we fight.""Against every pack in the territory? Against Alphas who've been enforcing these laws for centuries?" He shook his head. "We barely survived Ronan and Silas. We can't win against the entire Council."The healer finished her work and left quietly, sensing this wasn't a conversation she wanted to be part of.I stood, crossing to where Caelan stood rigid with tension.

ARIA'S POVThe Council Alphas sat in a semicircle in Ironfang's great hall, seven thrones that had been brought in specifically for this occasion. Each Alpha radiated power and authority, their eyes cold as they surveyed the assembled wolves.I stood in the center of the hall with Caelan at my side, feeling like a prisoner awaiting execution.Alpha Thorne sat at the far left, his expression carefully neutral. The others I didn't know, but their hostility was palpable. Especially the female Alpha seated in the center—Alpha Morgana, according to the whispers I'd heard. She looked at me like I was an insect to be crushed."This Council has been convened to address serious violations of our laws," Morgana's voice rang out. "Alpha Caelan Black of Ironfang stands accused of elevating a human breeder to the status of mate. Of granting her privileges and authority reserved only for wolves of pure blood. Of disrupting the natural order that has kept our society stable for fifty years."She pau

ARIA'S POVThe night before the ritual combat, I couldn't breathe.We'd returned to Caelan's chambers after the Council adjourned, but the walls felt like they were closing in. Tomorrow at dawn, Caelan would fight Marcus. And if he lost—I couldn't finish the thought."Stop," Caelan said quietly from where he sat sharpening his blade. "I can hear you spiraling from here.""How can you be so calm?" I paced the room, unable to sit still. "Marcus wants you dead. He's fresh and uninjured while you're still recovering from Silas's attack. And I have to just stand there and watch.""That's the point of the challenge. To break you." He set down the whetstone, looking at me. "Morgana thinks watching me fight will destroy you. Prove that humans are too emotional to handle being mated to Alphas.""She might be right.""She's not." He stood, crossing to where I'd worn a path in the floor with my pacing. "You've watched battles before. You've seen me wounded. You've seen worse than what tomorrow

ARIA'S POV Caelan slept for eighteen hours straight. I sat beside his bed the entire time, watching his chest rise and fall, convincing myself every few minutes that he was still breathing. The healers had done their work well. The wounds were cleaned and dressed, the bleeding stopped. But he'd lost a lot of blood. More than they'd initially realized. "You need to sleep too," Kira said from the doorway. "I'm fine." "You've been sitting in that chair for half a day. You're not fine." She entered the room, carrying food and water. "Eat something at least." I accepted the food mechanically, not tasting it. My eyes stayed on Caelan. "The Council left this morning," Kira continued, settling into the other chair. "Thorne stayed behind. Said he wanted to discuss the reform proposal once Caelan recovered." "What reform proposal?" "The one you apparently started with your little speech in the courtyard." She raised an eyebrow. "Three other Alphas approached Thorne after the vote. Qui