ALPHA AND HIS BETA'S NAUGHTY GIFT.

THE CONFESSION.

The council room erupts in chaos.

Voices clash against one another, each fighting to be heard over the next. The oval oak table groans under the assault of fists pounding its surface, demanding attention, demanding answers. Six Lieutenants crowd the space, their frustration thick enough to choke on.

Jackson sits in his chair on the Alpha's immediate right, fingers drumming a steady rhythm against the table's edge, though no one notices due to the uproar. His gaze is unfocused, fixed on the empty throne at the head of the table.

Her skin. Moon goddess, her skin had been so—

“Beta.” Lieutenant Arden in charge of the Deltas, call.

He doesn’t reply.

“Jackson.” He calls again

Still nothing.

“Have you lost your hearing?” He snaps from across the table.

Jackson blinks, pulled back into the tumult as every eye turns toward him.

“I’m here,” he responds evenly.

"You’ve been distracted since you walked in. Or maybe you just don’t care because you already know what’s happening," Theron accuses.

That brings him back to reality. Jackson narrows his eyes, his voice turning cold. "The same way you're worried is how I’m worried. I don’t have answers."

"Bullshit," Theron growls, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet with palms flat on the oak surface. "You’re his Beta. You’re always by his side. You were there last night. You must have seen something."

Jackson straightens in his chair. “Don’t question my loyalty.”

“Then act like you’re present.”

His mind rebels, dragging him back to fragmented memories. Heat, overwhelming heat, pleasure so intense that it felt wrong and invasive, not truly his own. His body had responded to something unseen.

He has been with various women before, experienced pleasure and dominance. Yet, none of that has ever left him shaken like last night did.

There are gaps in his memory. A blaze of sensation followed by darkness. He wakes restless and charged, feeling unsettled. He tells himself it’s exhaustion; yet this morning when he looks at his hands, he half expects them to be stained with something sacred or cursed.

"We need answers," Lieutenant Sia in charge of the Lotas says, her voice trembling with barely contained fury. "We need them now."

Theron holds Jackson's gaze for a moment longer before exhaling through his nose and sinking back into his seat.

"We can't allow ourselves to become a laughing stock," Lieutenant Drew adds, his usual calm demeanor shattered. His hands tremble where they rest on the table. He oversees the Sentinels. "We've come too far for this. Everything we've built—"

"Everything we've sacrificed for," Lieutenant Zara interjects, rising from her seat. Her voice carries the weight of the leader of the Etas, those who operate in the shadows. "And now we're being kept in the dark by our own Alpha."

"We've been nothing but loyal," Arden says quietly. The Delta Lieutenant doesn’t raise his voice; he doesn’t need to. His words are heard by everyone despite the tension nonetheless. "Loyal Trusted him. And now he won’t even grant us an audience."

Suddenly, the heavy cedar doors swing open.

Every head look toward the sound as Kai strides in.

Three Etas flank him, disciplined and alert. One remains by the door once it closes, while the other two follow Kai to the head of the table and position themselves at each side as he settles into his throne.

He takes his time and remains calm, ignoring the scowl on their faces.

Power settles over the room the moment he sits

The Lieutenants reclaim their seats in order—Jackson on his right, Theron beside him, then Arden. To Kai’s left sit Drew, Zara, and Sia.

Kai rests his hands on the arms of the throne. "This better be worth my time." He growls, the sound rumbling within every wolf present. He turns to Theron. "Do you have the attack strategy for Shadow Forest prepared?"

Theron stands. "No, Alpha Kai."

Kai's posture changes as he squares his shoulders. "Why not?"

"There’s no need to go to war with them,” Theron replies. “We have bigger issues at hand."

“And what,” Kai asks, his voice deepening, “is significant enough to derail months of planning?”

Drew rises, grief across his face, a grief he hasn’t bothered to hide. "The Sentinels on border patrol last night were attacked. Six out of ten were killed. Four are injured."

The air is sucked from the room.

Kai goes rigid, his fingers still on the table. "How did that happen?"

"They were ambushed—" Drew begins to explain.

"Why am I only hearing about this now?" He roars. "Why didn’t we receive an alert in time to send reinforcements?"

Drew's composure crumbles. He pounds his fists on the table. “They tried to contact us, Alpha Kai. The mountain ash you spread around the mansion blocked our communication and access. Or have you forgotten how potent it is?”

A few council members shift uneasily.

“Maybe,” Drew continues, his shoulder slacking, “if you hadn’t isolated yourself, we could have saved them.”

Theron steps forward. “We’ve been trying to get your attention since this morning. You denied us an audience.”

“Our intelligence confirms,” Drew adds, “that the first attack on you by the Rogues was orchestrated by the white witch Numenessa. So was last night’s ambush.”

Sia blurts, “While we celebrated, our men were slaughtered.”

For a fleeting moment, Kai leans back in his throne. Six lives, six families shattered because he had been too distracted. Too preoccupied with protecting one individual and leaving his borders exposed.

For just an instant, the Alpha facade slips. Then he regains his composure, straightening his spine and meeting their gazes.

His father would have reacted with fury, issuing threats and punishment to anyone who dared to challenge him.

Kai takes a breath.

“I accept responsibility for the ash barrier,” he states.

The room falls silent again, this time in astonishment.

“It was my choice. I thought the threat was internal.” His eyes scan from one Lieutenant to another. “I miscalculated.” His voice is strained. “Prepare for the funeral rites.”

The Lieutenants nod once.

Councilwoman Zara rises while the others remain seated. She captures the room's attention without raising her voice. "Alpha Kai, Numenessa is no longer hiding. She no longer fears you. She believes you've grown weak. Right now, she's testing the waters. She's seen that they're safe for her." She leans forward, her knuckles white against the oak. "Next time, she will strike harder. She will aim where we cannot recover.”

The truth settles deep within Kai. She's correct. Whatever is going on with Ivy can't take his focus away from this. Numenessa has come out of years in hiding, and she's ready to strike.

Theron stands again, his gaze piercing into Kai. "Alpha Kai, can you explain what happened last night? We all felt it, and this is the second time since that girl showed up that we've encountered something... unexplainable."

"It's nothing," Kai replies, but his words lack conviction.

Jackson finally speaks up. "Alpha Kai."

All eyes turn to him. Jackson has been quiet; he rarely speaks out of turn and never questions in front of others.

"You're either ignoring us," Jackson says cautiously, "or you're keeping something from us."

Kai's glances at him.

"Everyone in Mystic Valley witnessed the power last night. Its effects are still on the mansion's walls, its shattered windows and all the rumors in town." He pauses, searching Kai's face for answers. "Please. What was that?"

The plea underneath goes unspoken: 'Tell me I'm not going insane. Tell me what I felt was real.'

Because Jackson remembers. He remembers pleasure that wasn't his, consuming him until he couldn't breathe. He remembers stumbling to his bathroom, gripping the sink, his body responding to phantom touches. He remembers not being able to stop it, not wanting to stop it, and the shame that came after.

Kai observes his Beta and sees the desperation in his expression. His mind races as he tries to find a solution that keeps Ivy safe without further fracturing his council. These people have bled for him and stood by him through incredible challenges. They deserve honesty.

But how much honesty can he afford without endangering Ivy?

He reaches a decision.

Kai rises, and the Lieutenants bows. "I know you’re feeling confused, disappointed, worried." His voice is steady now, carrying a tone of vulnerability not heard in years. "You have every right to feel those emotions. So much has happened, and I haven't been transparent because I wasn't sure. I didn't want to make an announcement prematurely."

Theron's expression softens slightly. He understands.

"What happened last night," Kai continues, his voice lowering almost reverently, "was me marking and claiming my mate."

Silence envelops the room, absolute silence.

Soon, the room erupts once more, but this time it's filled with confusion instead of anger. People turn to each other, mouths opening as words collide.

"What—"

"But there's no—"

"Alpha, I don't—"

Zara's voice pierces through the noise most. "Can you explain what you mean by that?"

Kai looks each of them in the eye. When he speaks, his voice conveys an undeniable truth. "Ivy is my mate. I marked and claimed her last night."