The wife he gave away

Untitled EpisodeChapter19

She knows too much… and I don't like it

The most dangerous people were rarely the loudest ones in the room.

Over the years, I have learned that lesson repeatedly. The warriors who constantly boasted about their strength were usually predictable. The rivals who openly declared their intentions could be prepared for. Even enemies who threatened war often revealed enough of themselves to be managed.

The people who truly concerned me were the quiet ones. The people who waited. The people who observed. The people who knew exactly when to speak and exactly how much to reveal. Those people were dangerous because they understood something most others did not. Influence was often more powerful than force.

As I sat at the head of the council table and watched Valeria settle into the empty chair, I found myself wondering which kind of person she truly was. For months, I had convinced myself that she was merely ambitious. Ambition was not unusual. Most Alphas possessed it. Most Lunas possessed it as well. Ambition alone did not concern me. What concerned me was competence combined with ambition. That combination had destroyed stronger packs than mine.

The council chamber remained silent as every pair of eyes fixed themselves on Valeria. Some of the men looked irritated by her presence. Others looked curious. Elder Magnus appeared deeply offended that a woman had interrupted a military discussion. Commander Rowan looked skeptical. Dominic looked different. While everyone else was examining her with caution, he seemed almost confident. The expression sat strangely on his face. It was subtle enough that most people would never have noticed it, but I had spent years studying people. I noticed things.

Valeria folded her hands neatly on the table before speaking. Her posture remained calm despite the hostility surrounding her. Anyone else might have looked intimidated under the weight of so many stares, yet she seemed completely comfortable. That alone drew my attention. Confidence could be natural, but it could also come from preparation.

"The neighboring pack wants us focused on the border," she said carefully, her voice carrying clearly through the chamber. "Every discussion we've had this morning has centered on defending territory, increasing patrols, and preparing for military escalation. If I were their Alpha, that is exactly what I would want."

Several council members exchanged glances, but no one interrupted.

Valeria continued speaking.

"If we continue reacting to every movement they make, we will eventually exhaust our resources. We will spend more warriors, more money, and more energy defending positions they may never have intended to attack. The more we focus on where they are pointing, the less attention we give to what they are actually doing."

The room grew quieter. I noticed it immediately. Even Elder Magnus, who had seemed determined to oppose her on principle, leaned back slightly in his chair.

Valeria rose from her seat and walked toward the large territorial map mounted on the far wall. Her movements were smooth and confident. She studied the map briefly before placing her finger on a section of land located several miles east of our northern border.

"The neighboring pack relies heavily on trade coming through this corridor," she explained while tracing a route across the map. "Most of their supplies move through here before reaching their primary settlements. If we strengthen our alliances with the smaller territories surrounding this route, we can pressure them economically without ever sending a single warrior across the border."

Several murmurs spread through the chamber. The suggestion was not unreasonable. In fact, it was surprisingly intelligent.

Commander Rowan stood from his chair and moved closer to the map. His expression had changed considerably from the skepticism he displayed earlier.

"That would take months," he observed carefully.

Valeria nodded. "It would."

"Then why would they care?"

A small smile touched her lips. "Because they already know the route is vulnerable."

The answer came too quickly, far too quickly that my attention sharpened immediately.

Commander Rowan frowned. "How would they know that?"

Valeria hesitated for the briefest fraction of a second.

Most people would not have noticed. I did.

"Because every Alpha knows where his weaknesses are," she replied smoothly.

The explanation sounded reasonable. Perhaps, too reasonable.

The discussion continued.

One council member after another began asking questions. To my growing surprise, Valeria answered nearly all of them. She spoke about trade relationships, border agreements, supply routes, and neighboring alliances with remarkable confidence. More importantly, she spoke with a level of familiarity that made several experienced advisors visibly impressed.

That was when my unease truly began.

Knowledge itself was not suspicious. However, the depth of her knowledge raised questions.

Valeria had not grown up in this pack. She had not participated in military planning sessions. She had not spent years managing territorial disputes. Yet she answered strategic questions with the ease of someone who had sat through hundreds of council meetings.

The realization settled heavily in my mind. I stopped listening to what she was saying. Instead, I began paying attention to how she knew it.

As the discussion continued, I noticed Dominic becoming increasingly involved. Every time another council member challenged one of Valeria's ideas, he stepped in to reinforce her argument. Every time she made a point, he found a way to support it. His contributions were subtle enough to avoid drawing attention, yet they appeared consistently throughout the meeting.

Eventually, even Elder Magnus seemed convinced. The old man folded his arms and exhaled heavily before looking toward me.

"I dislike admitting it," he said reluctantly, his deep voice filled with irritation, "but the woman makes sense."

Several men nodded. Others voiced their agreement.

The atmosphere inside the chamber shifted dramatically. The frustration that had dominated the room for hours slowly transformed into cautious optimism. For the first time that day, the council had something resembling a workable strategy.

I should have felt relieved. Instead, I felt suspicious.

Valeria returned to her seat looking pleased with herself. Around her, respected advisors began discussing the details of her proposal. Some even offered compliments. The same men who had questioned her presence less than an hour earlier now seemed genuinely impressed by her contribution.

One elder laughed softly.

"I never expected to see the day a Luna solved a problem this council could not."

Several chuckles followed. Valeria smiled politely.

The admiration in the room continued growing, but I remained silent.

The meeting finally came to an end nearly an hour later. One by one, council members gathered their documents and prepared to leave. Conversations filled the chamber as men discussed implementation plans and resource allocations. The mood was significantly lighter than it had been earlier.

Valeria rose from her chair. Dominic rose as well. For a brief moment, I noticed them exchanging glances. It was small, quick, and easy to miss, but not for someone like me.

I watched them carefully as they both turned away and joined the others heading toward the exit.

The feeling in my stomach worsened.

The room gradually emptied until only a handful of council members remained. Elder Magnus paused near the doorway while organizing several scrolls beneath his arm. His expression appeared thoughtful.

Then he looked toward Valeria.

"You know," he remarked casually, his tone carrying no suspicion whatsoever, "your father used to favor similar strategies."

The room went still. Not dramatically. Not obviously. Yet something changed.

Valeria's smile froze for the smallest fraction of a second before returning. A tiny reaction, almost invisible.

I saw it. So did Dominic.

Elder Magnus continued speaking, completely unaware.

"The economic pressure strategy reminds me of the way your birth pack handled the Eastern Conflict years ago. I remember hearing about it at a gathering of Alphas. Very effective approach."

Valeria laughed lightly. The sound seemed perfectly natural. Perhaps too natural.

"My father always believed unnecessary wars wasted lives," she replied pleasantly.

Magnus nodded. "A wise man."

Turning to me, he said, “May I leave, Alpha Alaric.”

I just nodded.

Valeria offered me a respectful bow before following the others toward the door. Dominic disappeared shortly after. Within minutes, I found myself alone inside the council chamber.

Silence settled over the room while I remained seated, thinking.

The strategy itself no longer occupied my attention. Neither did the neighboring pack.

Instead, my thoughts returned to Valeria… to the confidence she displayed… to the information she possessed… to the questions she answered too easily.

And to the tiny hesitation that appeared on her face when Elder Magnus mentioned her father.

For the first time since the meeting began, I wasn't thinking about the enemy beyond our borders.

I was thinking about the one who had just walked out of the room.