Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers
Chapter 17: Council meeting

Chapter 17: Council meeting

~Caspian’s POV~

The room was brimming with tension the kind that clung to your skin like smoke. We were seated around the long, oak council table carved generations ago by the founding wolves of our pack.

To my right sat Cayden, rigid in his seat, his jaw set as hard as stone. Across from us, Leon, our Gamma, leaned forward, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. He didn’t speak much, but when he did, his words often cut deeper than fangs.

The elders filled the rest of the room—three wrinkled old wolves clinging to their pride like lifelines. Elder Austin is the loudest. Elder O’Brian, the cruelest. Elder Gina, the only one with any damn sense left. My parents sat in their usual place, mother with her ever-present silk handkerchief, dabbing at tears that never seemed real. And at the far end, cloaked in calm power, sat Aurora the only witch in our territory. She kept her coven under us, helped with spells, and mostly stayed out of our politics.

Mostly.

But not today.

"We can’t make Hazel our Luna. She’s weak." Elder Austin’s voice sliced through the quiet, rough as gravel.

Cayden’s eyes flared, but his tone was collected, cold. "She bears both our marks now. Like it or not, she is Luna. Denying that now would be foolish." He looked straight at Austin, and I watched the old man shrink back slightly—but only just.

Liar. Bloody liar.

I ground my teeth together to keep from growling aloud. This was the same man who’d sworn to reject Hazel, to stay away from her, but no—he’d broken his vow, taken her to bed, and now here we were. Caged by fate and Cayden’s impulsive desires.

Elder O’Brien slammed his hand on the table, rattling the old wood. "I say we kill her. Put an end to this madness so the mark will disappear and the moon goddess will realise her mistake and pick a she-wolf this time."

I flinched. So did Cayden. Our wolves immediately surged, snarling in protest. I clenched my fists beneath the table.

"Are you out of your damn mind?!" Elder Gina shot up from her seat, her voice fierce and sharp like a whip crack. "You’d suggest murdering an innocent girl because fate chose her?"

"She seduced the Alpha," Austin growled, jabbing a crooked finger toward Cayden. "In his room, in his bed. Ask yourself who caused this."

My eyes snapped to Cayden. My chest tightened. Did he... tell them that? Was it her fault? That she seduced him?

The silence that followed buzzed with unspoken accusations.

Cayden’s hand twitched on the table, but his voice remained steady. "This is a decision-making ground, not a battlefield. If you came here to fight personal demons, do it outside. Not here."

The room fell silent again, but the tension was far from over.

Father leaned forward. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was final. "You caused this, son. You made your choice when you broke the news. And now you will pay the price. You will marry Hazel."

Mother sniffled beside him, dabbing her eyes dramatically. I rolled my eyes inwardly. The tears were as fake as the sympathy she wore. This was always about legacy for her. Status. Control.

"But Hazel can’t even bear a child," O’Brien barked again. "She’s human. She’ll die quickly. She’ll give us nothing."

I had had enough.

"Then blame the Moon Goddess for her choice. Not the girl."

"Innocent, my damn feet," Austin scoffed, but this time Cayden’s glare shut him up before I had to.

"I agree," mother said, wiping at her eyes again. "I want a grandchild. An heir. Who’s going to give us that? Hazel?"

And then Leon, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke.

"Maybe hazel should marry both... but a she-wolf should be chosen as the official mistress. Someone to bear the heir."

The room went still.

Even Aurora, who had sat like a statue at the corner of the room, lifted her head.

"I agree with Gamma Leon," she said softly.

Their eyes met—For a moment, no longer than a heartbeat, something passed between them. And then it was gone.

"Where is the sense in that?" Austin bellowed, slamming his cane to the floor.

"If you can’t find sense in it," Gina said calmly, "then perhaps you don’t have any to begin with."

Laughter broke out, low and restrained, but genuine. Austin’s glare could’ve started a fire.

Father stood, his hands on the table. "So this is the decision then? Hazel marries both my sons. A mistress will be appointed for the sake of the pack’s future."

I nodded.

So did Cayden.

I hated it. Every damn word. But what choice did we have? We were bound now—her to me, and him. Our fate was sealed by the marks she bore and the twisted, divine mess the Moon Goddess had dropped on our heads.

Cayden raised his voice. "All in support?"

One by one, hands lifted—mine, Cayden’s, father’s, Leon’s, Aurora’s, mother’s, Gina’s.

The rest hesitated. You could taste the bitterness in their faces, but they knew the cost of rebellion. Eventually, reluctantly, the other elders raised their hands too.

"You have your say now," Cayden warned, "but go against this later and you’ll be punished."

The elders grumbled, but none of them dared speak. NovelFire

Gina tilted her head. "So who will the mistress be?"

"Natasha," mother said immediately.

Every head turned. Her smile was feline. "I can’t think of anyone better suited."

Of course. Natasha—the perfect she-wolf, born and bred for this. Mother had probably been planning this since the day she laid eyes on Hazel.

No one objected.

No one wanted to deal with the former Luna. NovelFire

Because that’s how it is here—decisions made behind smiles and fake tears, deals made over women like property.

Hazel would be assigned to us soon—our wife, our Luna. Natasha, our mistress. One would give the pack an heir. One would receive the crown.

But only one would have me.

Only one would ever touch my soul.

And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Natasha.

I stood from my seat, voice low but firm. "Let the wedding preparations begin."