The council
1751 Words
Chapter 3
“Do you understand what your hesitation has caused?”
The elder’s voice thundered across the council chamber, heavy with anger strong enough to shake the silence inside the room.
Brian stood at the center of the chamber without moving.
The enormous hall was crowded with elders, cabinet members, warriors, and high-ranking wolves of the Blood Moon Pack. The atmosphere felt suffocating beneath the dim silver flames burning around the walls.
Nobody looked pleased.
At the far end of the chamber sat the Alpha King beside Luna Evelyn while Jasmine remained silently beside her mother, her expression unreadable since Brian entered the room.
But the tension in her eyes was impossible to miss.
“You embarrassed the sacred bond before the entire kingdom,” another elder snapped. “Do you have any idea what rumors are spreading through neighboring packs already?”
Brian’s jaw tightened slightly.
“I already explained myself.”
“No,” Elder Marcus barked sharply. “You avoided the question.”
Brian inhaled slowly through his nose, clearly struggling to remain calm.
“I said I’m not ready.”
“And that answer insults us even more,” another voice fired back immediately.
Murmurs spread across the chamber.
“The future Alpha refusing his Luna weakens the stability of this pack.”
“The Moon Goddess herself blessed that union.”
“You cannot delay fate because of childish confusion.”
Brian’s fists slowly clenched at his sides.
Childish confusion.
That phrase again.
Like his feelings were something temporary. Something broken.
The Alpha King finally spoke.
“Brian,” his father said heavily, “this council was called to resolve this matter peacefully. Stop making things worse.”
Brian let out a short bitter laugh under his breath.
“Peacefully?” he repeated quietly.
Several elders frowned instantly.
“You’ve all spent this entire meeting talking about duty,” Brian continued, finally lifting his eyes toward them. “About the pack. About the bond. But not one person here asked what I wanted.”
The room immediately fell silent.
Even Jasmine looked up.
“Careful,” Elder Marcus warned darkly.
But Brian was already frustrated.
“For years you decided my future before I could even think for myself,” he said firmly. “Who I would marry. What kind of Alpha I should become. What I should feel—”
“Enough!” the Alpha King roared suddenly, rising from his seat.
The chamber shook with the force behind his voice.
Brian fell silent immediately.
His father stared at him in disbelief.
“Do you hear yourself right now?” the Alpha King demanded. “You stand before the council challenging sacred laws like a reckless child?”
Brian’s breathing became uneven.
“I’m not challenging the laws.”
“Then what exactly are you doing?” one elder snapped.
Brian looked away briefly.
Because he didn’t even know anymore.
The room remained tense for several seconds before Elder Marcus stepped forward slowly.
“You are the future Alpha,” the old wolf said coldly. “And whether you like it or not, the survival of this pack comes before your personal desires.”
Brian’s eyes hardened instantly.
“And what if I can’t give Jasmine what she deserves?”
That question caught everybody off guard.
Even Jasmine looked shaken.
The chamber suddenly became quieter.
The Alpha King narrowed his eyes.
“What does that mean?”
Brian opened his mouth—
BOOM!!
The massive windows behind the council chamber suddenly exploded inward violently.
Glass shattered across the room instantly.
Screams erupted everywhere.
“Attack!” someone roared.
Chaos exploded through the chamber.
Warriors immediately rushed forward while guards drew weapons around the elders.
Another explosion echoed from outside.
The entire palace shook.
Brian’s instincts kicked in instantly.
His wolf surged violently beneath his skin as growls erupted throughout the chamber.
Rogue wolves.
The scent hit immediately.
Blood. Smoke. Foreign pack scent.
“Protect the council!” the Alpha King barked.
A dark figure suddenly crashed through the broken window in full wolf form, knocking one of the guards across the room.
Screams echoed again.
Several wolves transformed immediately.
Bones cracked. Growls thundered. Claws tore through fabric.
Brian’s eyes flashed gold instantly.
Another rogue lunged directly toward the elders—
Brian shifted halfway mid-motion and slammed the wolf brutally against the wall before it could reach them.
The chamber erupted into violence.
Jasmine stumbled backward during the chaos as another rogue wolf burst from the side entrance unexpectedly.
Straight toward her.
Everything happened too fast.
“Jasmine!” Luna Evelyn screamed.
The rogue wolf lunged.
Jasmine froze.
But before the attack could reach her—
Brian moved.
He shoved Jasmine out of the way just as the wolf’s claws sliced across his shoulder instead.
A sharp growl ripped from Brian’s throat.
The room froze for one brief second.
Because despite everything…
Despite rejecting her. Despite the council. Despite the tension between them—
Brian still protected her without hesitation.
Jasmine stared at him in shock from the floor.
Brian barely noticed.
His wolf had fully surfaced now.
His glowing eyes locked dangerously onto the rogue before he grabbed it violently and threw it across the chamber.
The rogue crashed hard against one of the stone pillars.
Warriors immediately swarmed it.
The Alpha King transformed completely moments later, his massive black wolf tearing through another attacker near the entrance while guards forced the remaining rogues backward.
Then suddenly—
A horn echoed loudly outside the palace walls.
Retreat.
The rogues immediately began pulling back.
Within seconds, they disappeared into the darkness beyond the broken windows.
Silence slowly settled over the destroyed chamber.
Heavy breathing filled the air.
Broken glass covered the floor. Blood stained the stone walls. Smoke drifted through the ruined hall.
Brian stood at the center of it all breathing heavily, one hand pressed against the claw wound on his shoulder.
His father slowly returned to human form first.
The Alpha King stared at Brian for a long moment.
Not with anger this time.
Confusion.
Because nothing about Brian made sense anymore.
And Jasmine…
Jasmine couldn’t stop staring at him either.
The ride home felt strangely quiet after everything that happened at the palace.
Daniel sat on his bed with an open book resting loosely on his lap, though he hadn’t turned a single page in almost twenty minutes.
His laptop screen glowed faintly beside him while the cool evening breeze slipped through the slightly opened window.
But his attention wasn’t on any of it.
It was somewhere else entirely.
On someone else.
A small smile slowly pulled at his lips again as memories replayed inside his head one after another.
Brian stepping into the hallway that morning.
The way everybody immediately moved aside for him.
The sharpness in his voice when he asked:
“What’s going on here?”
Then afterward…
Brian crouching beside him helping him gather his books.
The awkward smile on his face.
The softness in his eyes despite how intimidating he looked.
Daniel let out a quiet laugh under his breath before shaking his head lightly at himself.
Then another memory flashed through his mind.
That night.
The streetlight. The bicycle. Brian’s hand brushing against his.
For some reason, that single touch still lingered in his chest strangely.
Daniel stared down at his book again, smiling unconsciously.
“You’ve been on that same page for almost thirty minutes.”
Daniel jumped slightly.
His mother stood near the doorway with her arms folded, amusement clear on her face.
“Mom,” he muttered awkwardly.
She walked further into the room slowly.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“Mhm.” She raised a brow immediately. “And are you lying to me?”
Daniel laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“It’s nothing serious.”
“That smile says otherwise.”
Daniel looked away quickly before she could notice the slight color rising into his face.
His mother chuckled quietly.
“Dinner’s ready,” she said gently. “Come downstairs before your father finishes everything.”
Daniel laughed again.
“Okay, I’m coming.”
She pointed at him playfully while backing toward the door.
“Don’t keep us waiting.”
Then she disappeared out of the room.
Daniel looked down at the book in his hands again.
And without realizing it—
his smile returned.
Miles away from Daniel’s peaceful home, tension still lingered heavily inside the royal palace of the Blood Moon Pack.
Jasmine stood near the large balcony windows of her chamber, arms folded tightly against herself while the cool night wind moved softly through the curtains.
Her mind refused to settle.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Brian again.
The council chamber. The attack. The way he pushed her out of danger without hesitation.
A soft knock came from the door before her mother stepped inside.
Vivienne studied her daughter carefully.
“You should be resting.”
Jasmine gave a tired laugh under her breath.
“I tried.”
Vivienne walked closer slowly.
“You’re overthinking this.”
Jasmine turned toward her immediately.
“Then explain him to me.”
Her mother remained silent.
“I don’t understand him anymore,” Jasmine admitted quietly. “One moment he rejects me in front of the entire kingdom… then tonight he risks himself protecting me.”
Vivienne’s expression softened slightly.
“Because despite everything, Brian still cares about you.”
Jasmine looked away again.
“But that’s not enough.”
The words came quieter this time.
Almost painful.
“We’re running out of time,” she continued. “The elders are already restless. The neighboring packs are watching us. And now attacks are happening inside our territory.”
Her chest tightened sharply.
“This was supposed to be our future,” she whispered. “Brian was always supposed to become Alpha… and I was supposed to stand beside him.”
Vivienne gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“And you still will.”
Jasmine didn’t answer immediately.
Because deep down…
something still felt wrong.
The distance in Brian’s eyes. The hesitation. The guilt.
None of it left her mind.
Slowly, Jasmine lifted her gaze toward the moonlight spilling through the balcony.
Then quietly—
“I think there’s something he’s hiding from all of us.”
Vivienne frowned faintly.
But Jasmine’s expression had already hardened with quiet determination.
“And I’m going to find out what it is.”
- Writer
