Defy The Alpha(s) novel Chapter 512

Chapter 512: Where Is My Son?

Henry Nightshade had not been the most likeable person, but seeing the empty position where he should be seated still put a heavy mood over the meeting room. The chair sat there untouched, reminding everyone what had happened.

The Alpha King’s residence was never the kind of place where people showed grief, but the air felt colder today. Even the sunlight through the tall windows looked weaker, like it didn’t want to come in, mourning for the Alpha’s loss.

Alpha Irene sat straight with her arms folded, staring past the table. Aeron had broken away from her as soon as they arrived in the city, heading to find their son and protect him if push came to shove.

Across from her, Alpha Caspian leaned close to his wife, Zara, whispering in a hushed voice, as if anyone in the room couldn’t hear them with their werewolf hearing. Their eyes kept flicking toward Henry’s empty chair and then away again.

Leon Draven sat like a statue, Henry’s death hitting him the hardest considering the two of them had been closest. His wife, Alexa, sat beside him with her hands loosely locked together, her gaze giving nothing away.

All of them had arrived early that morning from their various packs after the unfortunate incident had reached them.

The door opened right at that moment and Alpha King Elijah walked in.

The room didn’t relax at his presence, it tightened. Conversations stopped at once and no one dared look at him for too long, bowing their head in respect instead.

Elijah walked to the head of the table, but he didn’t sit. His eyes moved slowly over each person before stopping at Henry’s chair.

"Henry Nightshade is dead," he announced, his voice calm but cutting. "This is not just an ordinary loss, but one that changes the balance in this council and beyond."

No one spoke.

"I won’t waste time with sympathy," Elijah went on. "His absence leaves cracks in the West Pack, which is why Asher Nightshade, his heir, has traveled down before those cracks can be exploited by our enemies. That means he won’t be available to tell us what really went down in that unfortunate accident.

"However, it’s a good thing Alaric Storm had the sense not to go AWOL like the others."

At that announcement, the door creaked open and Alaric quietly stepped into the room. All eyes were pinned on him but he didn’t falter one bit.

When he reached the center of their attention, he inclined his head first toward Elijah, then toward the other Alphas.

"Your Majesty. Alphas," he greeted, his voice carrying just enough deference to match the room’s gravity.

Zara was the first to rise from her seat. She didn’t hesitate, crossing to her son and pulling him into a fierce embrace. It was the kind of embrace that said she’d imagined every possible worst case until she had him in front of her. She pressed a kiss to his forehead before pulling back just enough to scan him, her hands moving over his shoulders and arms as if checking for hidden injuries.

"Thank the goddess you’re safe, son," she breathed, the relief clear in her voice.

Caspian followed her, standing at her side until she stepped back, then pulled Alaric into a firm hug. There was no words, just a father grounding himself in the fact that his boy was real and alive.

Zara’s questions came the moment Caspian let go. "What in the world happened? What were you doing outside of school?"

"I think all of us are curious to hear about that," Irene’s voice cut in from her seat, her voice calm but edged. "So if you don’t mind taking your seat and not hovering over the boy, he has been through a lot. All of our children have been through a lot in one night."

Zara turned to her with a pointed look that said she had something ready to fire back, but Irene met her stare without flinching, daring her to try.

"You’re right. Our sons are all in this together, and since Alaric is here, we can hear from the horse’s mouth," Caspian said quickly, stepping in before either woman could push further.

Tight-lipped, Zara went back to her seat, the scowl still on her face. Caspian sat after her. Zara and Irene had never been best friends, but Alaric and Griffin’s closeness had made them relate with each other. However, that tolerance had thinned lately, especially over Violet and the unusual way she fit into both their sons’ lives.

Alaric licked his lips, mentally bracing himself. "I was the one who booked Pine Ridge Lodge. I just wanted to get away from everything." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

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