The council chamber smelled like smoke, wet fur, and old blood.

Storm rain hammered against the tall windows.

No one spoke.

Not when Killian Vance walked in.

Not when they saw the blood still drying across his throat.

Not when they realized he had come alone.

Tanya stood near the center table in silver silk and moonstone jewelry, one hand resting lightly against the carved oak chair that had once belonged to Eva’s mother.

Like she already owned it.

Like she already owned him.

“You’re late,” she said smoothly.

Killian didn’t answer.

Water dripped from the ends of his coat onto the black marble floor.

One drop at a time.

Tanya smiled anyway.

“The council has been waiting.”

Still nothing.

Her smile twitched.

“We need to proceed with the Luna coronation before the rogues attack again. Blackwood cannot survive without stability.”

Killian slowly lifted his eyes.

Those gold wolf eyes looked wrong tonight.

Too dark.

Too quiet.

The old council members shifted uneasily.

Tanya noticed.

And hated it.

“She’s dead, Killian,” Tanya continued softly. “You saw her fall.”

Silence.

“She betrayed the pack. Worked with vampires. Ran with rogues. Whatever bond you imagined—”

“She didn’t beg.”

The room froze.

Killian’s voice came out low.

Flat.

Dangerously calm.

Tanya blinked.

“What?”

“When she jumped.” His jaw flexed once. “She didn’t beg for her life.”

Nobody moved.

Rain thundered outside.

Tanya crossed her arms.

“You’re grieving.”

“No.”

His eyes locked onto hers.

“I’m remembering.”

A flicker of irritation crossed her face.

She recovered fast.

“Killian… everyone here saw what she became. Even now, the rogues still carry her scent. She poisoned Blackwood from the beginning.”

Killian walked toward the council table.

Slowly.

The sound of his boots echoed through the chamber.

One council elder cleared his throat nervously.

“Alpha Vance, perhaps we should postpone this discuss—”

“No.”

Killian stopped at the head of the table.

His fingers rested against the carved wood.

“She was innocent.”

Dead silence.

Someone inhaled sharply.

Tanya laughed.

Actually laughed.

Mocking. Beautiful. Cruel.

“Oh, this is pathetic.”

She stepped closer.

“You reject the Omega in front of the entire continent, hunt her across the borderlands, drive her off a cliff…”

She tilted her head.

“And now you suddenly grow a conscience?”

Killian stared at her.

No reaction.

That scared her more.

“You know what I think?” Tanya continued. “I think your wolf finally realized what it lost and now it’s making you weak.”

His hand tightened slightly against the table.

Wood cracked beneath his fingers.

A council member flinched.

Tanya’s smile sharpened.

“She’s dead. And honestly? Good.”

The temperature in the room dropped.

Several wolves lowered their heads instinctively.

Alpha pressure.

Raw.

Violent.

Killian finally moved again.

One step.

Then another.

Tanya held her ground.

Barely.

“You forged the evidence,” he said quietly.

She smiled.

“No.”

“You drugged the water supply.”

“No.”

“You bribed the border guards.”

Still smiling.

“No.”

Killian stopped inches from her.

“And you murdered Elder Rowan.”

That one hit.

Tiny.

Fast.

But he saw it.

The hesitation.

The pulse jump in her throat.

The fear.

Tanya immediately laughed again.

“You sound insane.”

Killian reached into his coat.

The council tensed instantly.

But instead of a weapon—

He dropped a stack of documents onto the table.

Letters.

Bank seals.

Territory records.

Signed agreements.

Tanya’s smile disappeared.

Just for a second.

Killian saw that too.

“You should’ve burned them better,” he murmured.

One elder grabbed the papers with shaking hands.

His face drained white.

“These are rogue trade signatures…”

Another council member leaned closer.

“Moonfang territory access codes…”

“Payment records…”

The room erupted.

“What the hell is this?!”

“Tanya, explain yourself!”

“You signed with rogues?!”

“That’s impossible!”

Tanya suddenly slammed both hands against the table.

“SHUT UP!”

The room instantly went silent again.

Her chest rose sharply.

For the first time, the perfect Luna mask cracked.

Killian watched her carefully.

Like a wolf watching prey bleed out.

“You manipulated all of them,” he said.

“You manipulated me.”

Tanya laughed harshly.

“And?”

Several council members stared at her in shock.

She looked around the room with open disgust now.

“You weak old idiots would've followed anyone wearing a pretty smile.”

Her eyes snapped back to Killian.

“And you…”

She stepped closer.

“You were easy.”

Something dark flashed across his face.

But not anger.

Worse.

Shame.

Tanya saw it.

And struck immediately.

“You know why Eva died?” she whispered. “Because you wanted her dead.”

Killian’s wolf exploded inside his chest.

Pain ripped through the Mate Bond scar like claws.

His breathing changed.

The lights overhead flickered.

Several wolves backed away instinctively.

Tanya kept talking.

“You rejected her.”

Another step closer.

“You hunted her.”

Closer.

“You looked into her eyes on that cliff…”

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“And she realized nobody was coming to save her.”

Killian grabbed her throat.

Fast.

Violent.

The entire chamber shook.

Tanya choked as he slammed her against the council pillar.

Cracks exploded through the stone.

“Careful, Alpha,” she gasped.

Blood slid from the corner of her mouth.

“You still need me.”

His grip tightened.

“No.”

Those gold eyes looked almost feral now.

“I really don’t.”

Tanya smiled anyway.

Crazy.

Bleeding.

Still smiling.

“You think this changes anything?”

Killian said nothing.

“You think exposing me fixes Blackwood?”

Her laugh turned breathless under his hand.

“I already signed the alliance.”

That hit the room harder than thunder.

Council members erupted instantly.

“What alliance?!”

“With who?!”

“Tanya, what did you do?!”

She ignored all of them.

Only looking at Killian.

“The rogues are already moving.”

Her smile widened.

“And this time?”

She leaned closer despite his grip.

“They aren’t coming for the borders.”

Killian’s jaw clenched.

“They’re coming for the throne.”

The chamber doors suddenly burst open.

A wounded guard stumbled inside covered in blood.

“Alpha—!”

He collapsed to one knee.

“Eastern watchtower… burning…”

The room exploded into chaos.

Council members shouting.

Guards rushing.

Rain crashing against the glass.

And through all of it—

Killian never looked away from Tanya.

Because suddenly…

Everything made sense.

The fake attacks.

The poisonings.

The missing patrols.

She never wanted the Luna crown.

She wanted Blackwood weak enough to destroy from the inside.

Tanya smiled slowly as realization spread across his face.

“There it is.”

Her voice came out soft now.

“That look.”

Killian loosened his grip just enough for her to breathe.

Big mistake.

She immediately whispered:

“You should’ve killed the girl yourself.”

His wolf snapped.

Completely.

Killian slammed her across the council table hard enough to split the wood in half.

The entire chamber shook.

Tanya screamed as documents scattered everywhere.

He grabbed the silver crescent insignia pinned over her chest—

The symbol of Blackwood’s future Luna.

And ripped it off.

Leather tore.

Metal snapped.

Gasps echoed through the room.

Killian held the broken crest in his bloody fist.

Then dropped it onto the floor.

“You are stripped of rank,” he said coldly.

His voice carried across the entire chamber.

“Stripped of blood-right.”

Tanya stared at him in horror.

No more smile now.

No more elegance.

Just panic.

“You can’t—”

“I can.”

Killian stepped closer again.

Towering over her.

“You wanted power?”

His voice lowered.

“Earn it in chains.”

Two guards hesitated.

Tanya screamed at them instantly.

“Don’t touch me! I am your future Luna!”

Nobody moved.

Because Killian’s Alpha pressure was crushing the room flat.

The guards finally grabbed her arms.

Tanya thrashed violently.

“You stupid animals!”

She looked at Killian desperately now.

Actually desperate.

“You need me!”

Killian stared down at her like she was already dead.

“No.”

The word landed like an execution blade.

Tanya’s breathing broke.

Then came the hatred.

Pure.

Nuclear.

“If Blackwood burns,” she hissed, “I’ll watch you burn with it.”

Killian didn’t blink.

“Then watch carefully.”

The guards dragged her toward the slave cells beneath the council chamber.

Her screams echoed all the way down the corridor.

Killian stood motionless long after she disappeared.

Rain hammered the castle.

The broken Luna crest still lay at his feet.

One of the elders spoke carefully.

“Alpha…”

Killian looked toward the dark storm outside.

Toward the cliffs beyond the forest.

Toward the place where Eva died.

Or should have died.

His jaw tightened.

Because for the first time in two years…

His wolf wasn’t grieving anymore.

It was hunting.

And somewhere in the dark…

He could still smell her.