All Chapters of Betrayed before the Altar: Chapter 21 - Chapter 26

Chapter 22DAMIAN'S POVI watched Kian cough blood into his handkerchief for the third time in ten minutes. The man sitting across from me looked nothing like the arrogant brother who'd destroyed Violet's life. His skin had a waxy, gray tone. Dark circles hollowed out his eyes. He looked like death.Good.Violet sat quietly in the corner of my office. She'd insisted on being here when Kian arrived. I'd tried to talk her out of it, but she refused. Now she watched him with an unreadable expression, her prosthetic hand resting on her lap."Start talking," I said coldly. "You have five minutes before I throw you back across the border."Kian's hand shook as he lowered the bloody cloth. "I abused her. Manipulated her. Made her feel worthless for six years while I chased after Vivian like a pathetic fool." His voice was hoarse. "When Violet left, I didn't want her back because I loved her. I wanted her back to punish her. To make her suffer for daring to choose you over me."My wolf snarle

Chapter 24VIOLET’S POVThe Council chamber was packed with wolves from neighbouring territories. I sat in the front row beside Damian, my hand gripped tightly in his. Across the room, Vivian stood in silver chains between two guards, her face blank like she'd shut down completely. Beside her, Garrett was chained as well, his expression dark and defiant.Seven Council Alphas sat behind the high table, their expressions carved from stone. The head councilor, Alpha Ethan, cleared his throat."Vivian Clarke and Garrett Stone, you stand accused of orchestrating the poisoning of Luna Violet, hiring assassins, coordinating attacks on pack lands, theft of pack resources, conspiracy to commit murder, and treason against werewolf law. How do you plead?"Vivian said nothing. She just stared at the floor. Garrett spat on the ground."The evidence speaks for itself," Alpha Ethan continued. He gestured to the table covered in documents. "Financial records showing embezzlement. Testimony from captu

Epilogue: Five Years LaterKIANThe smell of fresh wood shavings filled my workshop as I ran my hand over the table I'd just finished. Oak, built to last. Mrs. Grace would be happy with it.Five years since I'd left pack life behind. Five years since I'd moved to this small town where nobody knew who I was or what I'd done. Here, I was just Kian—the carpenter who did good work and kept to himself.My wolf stirred weakly inside me. He'd never fully recovered from the severed mate bond. I'd never shift again, not completely. Some days it hurt. Most days, I accepted it as the price I deserved to pay.The bell above my shop door rang. Old Mr. Rodriguez walked in, smiling."Kian! The chairs you made for my daughter's restaurant—everyone loves them. She wants to order ten more.""I can have them ready in three weeks," I told him.After he left, I went back to sanding. This was my life now. Simple. Quiet. Honest work with my hands. No pack politics. No power plays. No one to hurt.Sometimes