40 Chapter 40 Alphas Public Stand
The question hung heavy in the air. Nolan’s banishment remained fresh in everyone’s memory. The silence stretched, thick with understanding.
I continued walking without missing a step. My eyes stayed locked ahead, my grip on Seraphina’s hand unwavering. Roxanne might as well have been invisible furniture for all the notice I gave her. Her words caught in her throat, replaced by a sharp intake of frustrated breath. My complete dismissal spoke louder than any confrontation could
have.
I drew in a slow breath, letting my Alpha presence fill the space around me. The casual chatter died instantly. A suffocating silence took its place. When I spoke, my voice carried the weight of absolute authority. “Everyone. Main hall. Now.”
Roxanne intercepted our path to the hall, her practiced smile firmly in place as she tried to capture my attention. “Julian, sweetheart, what’s wrong? You seem troubled-” Whispers rippled through the crowd. Seraphina’s grip on my hand tightened slightly, and I responded with a reassuring squeeze.
The air seemed to vibrate with tension. Every head swiveled between me and Roxanne, who stood motionless, her expression mixing triumph with defiance.
“Holden, Caleb, get every pack member to the main hall in five minutes,” I commanded through the mind-link to my Beta and Lead Enforcer. “No one stays behind. This is an order.” The mental connection vibrated with my barely contained rage.
I allowed the question to linger before addressing the young woman directly, my face revealing nothing. “Yes,” I stated simply, my voice completely flat. “Roxanne is pregnant with a child that is biologically mine.”
Without another word, I squeezed Seraphina’s hand firmly and turned toward the exit. The crowd separated like water before us, watching in silence as we headed to our private quarters. My message had been delivered with perfect clarity. For Seraphina, I would reshape this entire world if necessary.
Complete silence followed. No one moved, no one breathed audibly. The message had landed perfectly.
“However,” I continued, my voice ringing with finality, “that biological fact holds no
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40 Chapter 40 Alphas Public Stand
emotional significance for me. None whatsoever. That pregnancy changes nothing about who my mate is. It changes nothing about who I am. I made an error,” I admitted, self-disgust coloring my words. “A massive, inexcusable error. But that mistake does not diminish my mate Seraphina in any way. It does not alter my loyalty, my commitment, or my complete devotion to her.”
I positioned myself in the hall’s center, my stance rigid and commanding. My gaze swept across the assembled faces, lingering on the kitchen women who now looked pale and diminished.
Sharp gasps echoed throughout the hall. The accused women grew even paler, several unable to meet my eyes.
A young voice shattered the quiet. A barely-adult pack member spoke up with either courage or foolishness. “Alpha Julian… is it true about Roxanne carrying your child?”
My eyes swept the assembly once more, ensuring total comprehension. “The only person who deserves an explanation for my mistake is Seraphina. And I will provide that explanation to her privately, when and where she chooses. None of you have the right to question, judge, or use this situation to justify disrespecting the woman beside
me.”
Julian’s POV
I looked down at Seraphina, whose face was now raised, her eyes searching mine. I caught glimpses of hope, understanding, and deep hurt in her expression.
The nearby pack members trembled at my tone. No shouting was necessary. They understood exactly what that voice meant.
“I have been crystal clear about one thing,” I began, my voice carrying to every corner without strain. “My mate will be treated with respect. Yet today, I personally witnessed the opposite.” My stare fixed directly on the guilty women. “I saw my mate, your Luna, being degraded and mocked in the kitchen by some of you.”
“He was exiled,” I answered myself, “for showing disrespect to my mate. He lost everything that mattered to him. Consider yourselves lucky that you’re only losing positions today. But understand this clearly: there will be no repeat of today’s events. Not against Seraphina. Not against your Luna. Moving forward, anyone who has issues with her, anyone who wants to speak against her, anyone who dares disrespect her, will answer to me first. You will face your Alpha. And I guarantee that encounter will haunt you for the rest of your existence.”
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“Because of this behavior,” I continued, my tone growing deadly, “every person who participated in or allowed this disrespect loses their position immediately. Any responsibilities you held, any status you claimed, ends now. You should count yourselves fortunate,” my voice dropped to a menacing rumble, “because everyone here knows the consequences of disrespecting Seraphina. Do you recall what happened to Nolan? My former Gamma? The man I considered family?”
The cruel laughter echoing from the kitchen hit me like a physical blow. Every mocking word they threw at Seraphina sent rage coursing through my veins. I had watched long enough to see them tear her down, to witness the way her spirit crumbled under their vicious attacks. The sight of her defeated posture, the tears she fought to hold back, awakened something primal in my wolf. Ice-cold fury flooded my chest.
The main hall hummed with anxious energy when we entered, Fang members filled the space from corner to corner, their whispered conversations creating a nervous undertone. My mind-link had been effective. As Seraphina and I appeared, the murmuring ceased. Every face turned our way, tension and curiosity radiating from the crowd.
I faced Seraphina, watching as she kept her gaze lowered. My chest tightened seeing her struggle to maintain composure. I moved closer, eliminating the space between us. When her tear-bright eyes finally lifted to mine, I offered her the most genuine smile I could summon. A wordless vow that change was coming. She tensed slightly, uncertain, but allowed me to take her cold fingers in mine. I pressed gently, sending a clear message through that simple touch: You are not alone anymore.
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