All Chapters of Midnight Debt: Never His, Always His: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

121 Chapters

Taken

ZADENBefore I could answer, Damian's voice cut through the corridor, sharp and fast."Zaden."I turned. His face told me before his words did."Sofia's missing," he said. "And Marco. We did a full sweep of the house. Neither of them are anywhere."Reina moved before I did."That's impossible," she said. "They were both here. Sofia was in her room, my father was…""I know," Damian said. "I checked both rooms myself. Marco's window was forced open from the outside. Sofia's door was unlocked. No signs of a struggle, which means…""Which means whoever took them knew exactly when to move," I said. "During the fight. While every warrior was at the tree line."Reina's hands were shaking."Dominic," she said."It fits," Damian said. "The attack wasn't just an assault. It was a diversion."I felt something cold settle over me. Twelve years of leading this pack, and I had let an enemy walk two people out of my own house while I was distracted defending the front gate."How long ago," I said."

The Trade

REINAZaden didn't answer right away.I watched something move behind his eyes…furyHe was actually considering it. For one terrifying second, I thought he might actually say yes."Zaden," I said quietly."I know," he said, not looking away from Dominic."Tick tock, cousin," Dominic called out. "I don't have all night."I looked at my father. At the fear in his eyes, the blood on his cheek. I looked at Sofia, held tight, refusing to cry, refusing to look anything but furious.Then an idea hit me."Wait," I said, stepping forward slightly.Dominic's attention shifted to me. "Ohh…the wife speaks.""You want the Alpha position," I said. "Publicly. In front of the council. Recognized as legitimate.""That's the deal," he said."Then a hostage exchange in the middle of the woods, done under threat, isn't going to give you that," I said. "Every wolf in that pack will know it was extorted. You'll never have their loyalty. You'll have a title and nothing behind it."Dominic's jaw tightened sl

One Month

ZADENThe house was quiet by the time we got everyone settled.Sofia refused to be alone, so Reina stayed with her, curled up together in Sofia's room like they used to when they were kids, according to what Sofia had murmured before falling asleep from exhaustion.Marco sat in the kitchen, a blanket around his shoulders, hands wrapped around a mug of tea the house keeper had insisted he drink.I found him there when I went looking for something way stronger than tea."You don't have to stay up," I said."Can't sleep," he said. "Every time I close my eyes I see that man's face."I understood that feeling more than I wanted to admit.I sat down across from him."Thank you," he said suddenly. "For coming for us. You didn't have to risk everything for me. I know what I did to Reina. I wouldn't have blamed you for…""She's my wife," I said. "You're her father. That makes you… family, whether either of us likes the complications that come with it."Marco looked down at his tea."She hates

Every Morning

REINAThe month started with training.Not just Zaden. All of us.Kira had Damian and me running the pack's defenses every morning at dawn, drilling scenarios Dominic might try before the formal challenge, sabotage, another kidnapping attempt, anything that might weaken Zaden before he even stepped into the circle.Zaden trained separately, harder than I'd ever seen him push himself. Damian sparred with him for hours, and some mornings I'd find him alone in the training room even before the sun came up, working through forms with a focus that bordered on obsession."You need to rest," I told him one morning, finding him drenched in sweat, knuckles bloodied from the practice dummy."I need to be ready," he said."You won't be ready for anything if you collapse from exhaustion before the challenge even starts."He looked at me, breathing hard."If I lose," he said quietly, "I lose everything. My life. This pack… You.""You're not going to lose," I said."You don't know that.""No," I ad

What My Father Did

ZADENI stared at Damian, waiting for him to say he was joking.He didn't."Explain," I said. My voice came out steadier than I felt."Vera says your father manipulated the succession trial," Damian said carefully. "The physical challenge that determined who would become Alpha. She claims he paid off two of the judges to weaken Dominic beforehand with an injury that never fully healed in time and was deliberately caused." He paused. "You won fairly, Zaden. Against the version of Dominic that showed up that day. But that version wasn't at full strength."The room felt too small suddenly."Why would he do that," I said. "I was the obvious choice. Everyone said so.""Not everyone," Damian said quietly. "Some of the older council members thought Dominic had the right temperament, the right experience. Your father wasn't convinced you'd win outright. He wanted to make certain."I sat down slowly.Twelve years. Twelve years of believing I had earned this. That the pack had chosen me on meri

The Truth Between Them

REINADominic agreed to meet at the same clearing where he'd held Sofia and my father.I didn't like the symbolism, but Zaden said it was deliberate, showing up on Dominic's chosen ground, unarmed, was itself a message.We arrived at dusk. Dominic was already there, alone this time, no wolves flanking him. He looked surprised to see me beside Zaden."Didn't expect the wife to tag along again," he said."I go where he goes," I said simply.Zaden stepped forward. "I need to tell you something before the challenge. Something you deserve to know."Dominic's expression shifted, wary. "Go on.""Twelve years ago," Zaden said, "the succession trial wasn't fair."Dominic went very still."My father manipulated it," Zaden continued. "He paid two judges. He arranged for you to enter that trial already injured, weakened, before you ever stepped into the circle." He held Dominic's gaze. "I didn't know. I found out two days ago. But I thought you deserved the truth before we fight again, whatever t

What A Real Alpha Does

ZADENThe council chamber was full the morning Dominic returned.Word had spread fast, everyone knew the formal challenge was two days away, and everyone wanted to see how it would play out. I hadn't told anyone about the meeting in the woods, about what I'd revealed, about the offer I'd made. As far as the pack knew, this was still heading toward a fight to determine who led them.Dominic walked in like he owned the room.That hadn't changed. He moved with the same weight, the same presence that had unsettled even seasoned warriors during the attack. Whatever decision he'd made, it hadn't come from weakness.He stopped in the center of the chamber, facing the council table where I sat with Selene, Miriam, and the others."I came to speak before the formal challenge," he said, his voice carrying easily across the room. "Since everyone here believes that challenge is still happening."Murmurs rippled through the gathered pack."Three days ago," Dominic continued, "Zaden told me somethi

I Love You

REINATwo weeks passed before the pack finally felt like it was breathing again.Dominic's intelligence had helped Damian's team dismantle what remained of the coalition's operations near our territory, three safe houses raided, key contacts arrested or scattered. Elias, it turned out, really had been compromised temporarily, his second-in-command working with the coalition without his knowledge. Once exposed, the alliance between our packs had been restored, stronger than before.For the first time since I'd arrived at the Cole pack house, there was no immediate threat looming over us.It felt strange. Almost unfamiliar.I found Zaden in the garden one evening, sitting on the stone border where we'd had so many important conversations over the past months. He looked up when he heard me approaching, something soft crossing his face."I was hoping you'd come find me," he said.I sat down beside him. "Long day?""Council meeting ran late," he said. "Dominic disagreed with three separate

The Days Before

REINASofia had taken over the entire east wing.Fabric swatches covered every surface. Flower catalogs were stacked on top of each other like small towers. She'd recruited Lena within hours, and the two of them had become an unstoppable force of chaos and glitter that even Zaden seemed slightly afraid of."Absolutely not," Zaden said, staring at a swatch of pale pink silk Sofia was holding up against his shoulder."But it would look so good with the garden theme," Sofia insisted."I am not wearing pink.""It's blush, not pink.""Blush, pink, it’s the same thing Sofia."Sofia turned to me with the exact same expression I used to give our mother when I needed backup. "Reina, tell him."I looked at Zaden, who was watching me with an expression that dared me to side against him."He's not wearing pink," I said.Sofia threw her hands up. "Fine. Traditional black it is. Boring, but fine."Zaden's mouth twitched, the ghost of a smile he only let show around family now.Watching him with So

Forever Begins

REINAThe garden had been transformed.Every flower I'd planted over the past months bloomed in careful arrangement around the space, twinkling lights woven through the trees, chairs arranged in soft rows filled with pack members who'd once looked at me like I didn't belong here.I stood at the entrance, my hand shaking slightly, my father beside me in a suit that fit properly for the first time since I'd known him."You look beautiful," Marco said, his voice thick with emotion. "Your mother would be so proud of you."My eyes filled instantly. "Dad""I know I don't deserve to be the one walking you down there," he said quickly. "After everything. But I'm grateful you're letting me try."I squeezed his arm. "You're here now. That's what really matters."He nodded, blinking hard, and offered his arm properly."Ready?" he asked."Ready," I said.The music started, and we began walking.Every face turned toward us, Lena, wiping her eyes already; Damian, uncharacteristically emotional, one

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