Chapter 181

Ava POV

Grayson's brows shot up in surprise; his steely gray eyes narrowed slightly, as if I'd just uttered the most absurd thing he'd ever heard.

"You?" he asked, his tone incredulous, laced with disbelief.

"Yes, me," I replied firmly, squaring my shoulders, though my insides felt like they were about to give way. My voice wavered slightly, but I held my ground. "You trust me, don't you?"

His expression softened almost instantly, the hard lines of his face easing as his eyes searched mine. Slowly, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"More than anyone," he murmured, his voice a quiet reassurance.

"Then trust me to handle this," I insisted, my heart pounding.

Grayson sighed deeply, his hand moving to the back of his neck as he considered my words. The air between us crackled with tension, and for a moment, I thought he might refuse. Finally, he gave a small nod, though his reluctance was clear.

"Fine," he said, his voice low but firm. "But if anyone so much as raises their voice at you—"

"They won't," I interrupted quickly, forcing a smile even as my nerves threatened to overwhelm me. "I can handle it."

He didn't look convinced, but he stepped aside, gesturing toward the hall. As I walked back inside, every step felt heavier than the last. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, the weight of responsibility settling firmly on my shoulders.

When I entered the room, all eyes snapped to me. The air was thick with tension; I could feel it pressing down on me. The already silent room seemed to grow even quieter.

"This was a terrible idea," I thought, but I swallowed my apprehension, straightened my shoulders, and determined not to show even an ounce of doubt.

"Something important just came up," I began, my voice steady despite my nerves. "Grayson will not be returning to the meeting, so I'll be taking over."

Murmurs started almost immediately, whispers spreading like wildfire as the high-ranking members exchanged glances. I saw Jacob's face tighten; his eyes watched me closely. I raised my hand slightly, cutting through the murmurs before they gained momentum.

"I know some of you are unhappy with the decision Grayson made earlier," I continued, my tone calm but firm. "I'll speak to him and do my best to get him to reconsider asking you to leave the pack. I promise."

"You'll get him to retract his decision?" a voice called from the back of the room. The sharpness of the tone made me stiffen.

Turning, I found myself staring at Charles. His arms were crossed; he leaned back in his chair with a smug expression.

"No one can get him to do anything," he added, his words dripping with condescension.

My wolf stirred within me, growling softly at the challenge, but I forced myself to stay calm. Charles was baiting me, looking for a fight, and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"Weren't you asked to leave?" I shot back, my voice sharp enough to make several heads turn.

"And didn't you just say you were going to convince him to let us stay?" Charles retorted, a smirk playing on his lips.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep my voice even. "I don't know you, Charles, and I'm not going to argue with you. I said I would speak to him, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. In the meantime, if you have something constructive to add to this discussion, I suggest you raise your hand. If not, I suggest you leave."

There was a brief pause, and then, to my surprise, Charles fell silent. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ivan hiding a smile, and I turned my attention back to the group.

"I apologize for not introducing myself properly," I began, addressing the high-ranking members directly. "The circumstances surrounding my arrival in this pack weren't exactly straightforward. Grayson and I didn't meet under normal conditions, and I know that has caused some confusion. But I want to assure you that I mean this pack no harm. My loyalty lies here, with all of you."

The room was quiet as they listened, and I felt a flicker of hope that maybe they were willing to give me a chance.

"My father was a victim in one of the recent attacks," I added, lowering my voice slightly.

A murmur of surprise arose, and someone from the back of the room spoke up. "But don't you get along with your father?"

The question caught me off guard, and I turned to see Kendra, her face red with embarrassment.

I smiled gently, trying to put her at ease. "You're right, Kendra. My father and I don't exactly see eye to eye, and we've had more than our fair share of disagreements. But he's still my father. And only a psychopath would wish harm on their parents just because of a few arguments. Do I look like a psychopath to you?"

Before Kendra could respond, someone from the group called out, "Not at all, Luna!"

There was a slight echo of cheer, and I rolled my eyes but continued, turning to the high-ranking members. "I really hope we can rectify how all of this started and get to know each other. I would really like that, and I believe it would be good for the pack."

Another one of them nodded, and I smiled before turning more serious. Addressing everyone again, I said, "I really don't want to believe that someone here is involved in something as horrible as fueling deaths or helping an obvious psychopath who is out to destabilize the realm. And if there is, it will be quite unfortunate for that person. But I'm not going to keep you all here until we figure it out, because let's face it—we can't actually do that."

There was laughter, and I saw Jacob crack a smile. Several of them nodded in agreement, and I felt a surge of relief.

"Now, about the curfew Grayson mentioned," I continued, turning more serious. "I understand why some of you are upset. It's a drastic measure, and I agree that it needs to be adjusted. I'll talk to him about finding a compromise, but I hope you can all understand that these changes are meant to keep everyone safe. The realm is under attack, and we need to be ready to work together if we're going to survive."

More nods followed, and I could see the tension in the room easing.

"I'm not going to keep you here any longer," I said finally. "You're all dismissed unless anyone has something they'd like to add."

Kendra raised her hand hesitantly, and I nodded for her to speak.

"Is it true that you have unique abilities? Like… superpowers? Is that why your eyes change color?"

I blinked, caught off guard. Before I could respond, another voice chimed in.

"And that's how you threw that pregnant woman across the hall with just a slight push?"

I flinched at the memory, guilt washing over me. Clearing my throat, I replied, "I didn't mean to push her. It wasn't intentional, and I don't have superpowers. I don't even know what happened, but I would never intentionally hurt anyone, especially someone who's pregnant."

"She deserved it," someone muttered, and there were murmurs of agreement.

I laughed nervously, waving my hand. "Okay, I think that's enough for today. Everyone can go about their day."

The group rose, bowing slightly before filing out. I stayed rooted in place, waiting for the last of them to leave. Just as I let out a small sigh of relief, someone called, "Luna," behind me.

I turned to see Jacob standing there, the four remaining high-ranking members at his side.

"On behalf of all of us, I would like to apologize," Jacob said, his voice calm but sincere. "We meant no harm."

I nodded, offering a small smile. "I understand, and I meant what I said. I would really love to get to know all of you and the pack better."

Jacob dipped his head respectfully, and the others followed suit before leaving. I watched them go, convinced they were the last. But just as I turned, another voice called my name.

"Luna."

I turned again, surprised to see Ivan lingering near the doorway.

I smiled, trying to ease the tension. "Hi, Ivan."

He returned the smile, though there was a weight in his eyes. "I think you did really well back there. But…" His expression shifted, the smile vanishing as his tone turned grave. "About what Alpha King Grayson said… I believe there is a mole."

His words sent a chill down my spine, and I stiffened. "You do?"

His gray eyes met mine, unwavering. "Yes." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And I know who it is."