Chapter 599
Everyone whirled around as a bookcase was pushed open, revealing Rowan, Ronnie, and my father. The three men walked confidently into the office, my father looking completely healed. Rowan walked around the room and stopped in front of Silas. “You have shown that you are an honorable wolf. Thank you for always guiding me and training me as I grew older.” He held out his arm, ignoring the four men who jumped to their feet and backed away against the far wall.
Silas grasped Rowan’s forearm and then bowed his head. “It has been not only my honor to teach you, but a privilege.” Rowan pulled him into a hug, and the star above his brow faded. “But how can you be so sure about me?” Silas pulled away and dropped to a knee. “I have been complacent and allowed others to move against you.”
Rowan stopped his bow with a hand. “Not everyone is the best judge of character.” I cut my dad a look and smirked. He pointed at my face and gave a tiny growl. I raised my hands in surrender, but I stood and made my way to Silas.
I held out my hand. “Because while our judgment is flawed, the Goddess made sure we knew who to trust.” I brushed a finger against the spot where the star had blazed just moments before. I felt my forehead ignite as I helped Silas to his feet. “Loyalty will always be recognized by the Goddess, as you can see.” I winked, and Silas’ eyes widened at my mark.
“You’re Goddess-Blessed.” Silas shook as he trailed a finger above my mark. “I never thought I would live to see another chosen.”
“FUCKING LIARS!” Yarrow screamed. His finger shook as he pointed at my forehead. “The Goddess would never recognize you.”
I slowly turned to face them, allowing my mark to shine directly on them. “Ironic.”
“What is?” Theo spat.
“I just find it funny that the very wolves who have turned their backs on the Goddess feel like they have any room to dictate how she would feel.” Their mouths snapped shut as the words hit home. I smiled as they shot death glares at me. Then I turned to my dad. “Is everything done?”
My father walked over to the desk and sank down into the chair. He sat back and leveled the council with a look that would send normal wolves into a frenzy. But I could see the tremor in his hands. He wasn’t fully healed, and I could see the strain he was putting into looking fine. He smiled as he pulled open a drawer. “Everything is in place. Rick did everything you needed and sent it all here.” He clicked a few buttons, and his desk’s flat black surface came to light. There was a soft whirring noise, and a screen descended on the wall behind the desk. My father initiated a command on the tabletop computer, and the screen lit up.
“What is this?” Evan had the sense to look worried.
Marcus rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter what this is.” He leveled a look at my father. “You look very much alive for a dead man.”
My dad smiled with a shrug. “News of my untimely demise may have been a little premature.”
Yarrow kicked another chair. “You lied to the council, to the realm.”
My father’s smile turned predatory. “I find it laughable that you have the audacity to still be angry that I lied.” My dad clicked a few things, and the screen displayed a slideshow of papers and photos. “Is this you, Yarrow?”
Yarrow stumbled against the wall as his crimes were plainly laid out. “This is-”
“Already authenticated. We got most of this off of Vince’s servers.” My father clicked on an email and blew it up. “Let’s see. ‘It doesn’t matter that the Queen is pregnant with another pup. The Lycan race needs to be eradicated, and we are just following Garith’s orders.’ That’s…well, that right there is damning. What do you think, Rowan?”
Rowan had turned, and I could see he was fighting with Erubus. He pulled at the neckline of his shirt, and his mating mark burned bright on his skin. Another gasp went through the council. “She was telling the truth. Theo pointed to Rowan’s neck. He found his mate.”
I turned to face Rowan and reached up to trace the mark I left there. Rowan shivered as my fingers glided over his skin. His eyes turned to me with a soft glow from his wolf, and I smiled. His soft rumble made my stomach clench, but my father’s cough pulled me back to the meeting. “Of course I was telling the truth. Why would I hide my mate?” I turned and stretched out my neck, showing off my matching mark.
Another gasp went around the room, but then Marcus laughed. His chuckle bounced off the wall and earned a few growls from my side of the table. “What is so funny?” Rowan took a menacing step towards them.
Marcus wiped his face and tried to fight the soft chuckles to answer. “I just think this is fucking perfect.”
My dad’s eyes narrowed. “Perfect…for what?”
Marcus finally got himself under control, and his face fell into a mask of stillness. “You did this big show here, but it doesn’t matter. While we have been talking, our guards have executed your pack members here, and with all of you here…we can kill all of you at once. With one swoop, every thorn in our side is gone. The King, his whore Queen, and this fucking pack of meddling fools.” He laughed again. “The spear will take care of everyone here, and no one, not even the Goddess, can save you.”