The council chamber smelled of pinewood and politics.
Dominic stood at the head of the long stone table, arms crossed, jaw tight. The lights were low, casting shadows across the curved walls of the old building. The council had gathered late — past twilight — when the city was quiet and the wolves stirred.
Across from him sat three of his senior pack council members — Rael, Cassian, and Idris. Their expressions were tense, flickering between loyalty and apprehension.
"She's getting too close," Rael muttered, drumming his fingers on the wood. "First the court cases. Then the dock reports. She's asking questions — questions that lead into territory we've kept buried for decades."
Dominic narrowed his eyes. "She's a lawyer. Investigating is part of her job. That's exactly why I brought her in. So we'll know her movements."
"She's also your mate," Idris added coldly. "That complicates things."
Cassian leaned forward. "You said it yourself, Dom. The syndicate's growing bolder. If Serena keeps poking, they'll retaliate. And not just against her — against all of us."
A growl stirred in Dominic's throat. "She's not that reckless. And I can't tell him about any of this. She'll throw a fit. A huge one"
"So she doesn't know anything?" Rael snapped. "About the shipments. The human experiments. The trafficking... The silent shares in the dockyard logistics. What if she finds out what we've allowed to go on beneath the surface?"
Dominic looked away, jaw clenched. The silence was thick.
"She's too principled," Idris muttered. "Too human in the way she thinks justice works. If she uncovers what we've done to keep the pack afloat — what you approved, Dominic — she won't keep quiet."
"She wouldn't betray us, and like I said, she won't know anything. I have a close eye on her" Dominic said sharply, eyes flashing.
Dante leaned back, folding his arms. "She won't have to. A court order will do it for her."
Footsteps echoed outside the hall.
Dominic stiffened, catching the scent just before the doors swung open.
Rina strolled in, sleek as ever in her tailored leather jacket, her long blonde hair spilling over one shoulder. Her presence alone stirred tension like a match near oil.
"Am I late?" she asked, with a smile that didn't touch her eyes.
"You weren't invited," Dominic muttered.
She glanced at him and then at the council members. "And yet here I am. Because clearly, the rest of you are too afraid to say what needs to be said."
Rael grunted in agreement. Idris straightened.
"She's going to get herself — and us — killed," Rina said, circling slowly behind Dominic. "All it takes is one file in the wrong hands. One whispered name in a courtroom. One thread pulled, and everything unraveled."
Dominic turned to face her. "I've been to court and back. I've always handled everything well. So why now?"
"Because she's not one of us!" Rina snapped, finally letting the mask drop. "She doesn't understand what we had to do to survive. She believes in systems. In laws. And she's dragging those human morals into a world where they don't belong. She's human for crying out loud."
Dante shifted uncomfortably. "She is one of us now, Rina. She leads."
"She thinks she leads," Rina said. "But she's just a threat. A liability. Mark my words — she'll bring ruin. Maybe not today. But soon."
The door creaked again.
This time, silence fell like ice over the room.
Serena stood in the doorway, clad in dark navy slacks, a sleeveless turtleneck, and a thin blazer. Her curly hair was tied into a low bun. She held a thick file under one arm. Her eyes scanned the room — cold and sharp. Rina's words still lingered in the air.
"Well," Serena said quietly, stepping into the chamber, "don't stop on my account."
Dominic moved quickly, but Serena raised a hand to stop him. Her heels clicked against the stone floor as she approached the table.
"I thought we were past holding secret meetings," she added.
Rael swallowed hard. Cassian looked away.
Only Rina smiled. "It's not a secret, darling. It's a council meeting. You weren't summoned."
"I didn't realize I needed to be summoned to speak about my husband's pack," Serena replied, placing the file on the table with a soft thud.
"No one is keeping secrets," Idris began, but Serena interrupted him.
"Don't insult me, Idris. I know a secret even when it's whispered behind clenched teeth."
She turned to Rina. "You really think I can't be trusted. Who the hell do you think you are? Coming to my home and speaking out?"
"If the shoe fits, also I was once a part of Dom's life and I still am" Rina said sweetly.
Serena's eyes darkened. "No you're not. I don't care what you were to him but we're married now and deal with it ."
Rina stepped forward. "I cared long before you showed up in your tailored suits and soft city words. You think leading wolves is about compassion and rules? It's about blood. About fear. You haven't earned the right to command."
"I don't command through fear. I lead through trust," Serena said, her voice unwavering. "And unlike you, I don't need to manipulate Dominic to feel important."
The room went still.
Rina's lip curled. "You don't know what it took to stand at his side. The wars. The betrayals. You think love is enough to bind you to him?"
Dominic stepped between them, his voice low but fierce. "Enough, both of you."
But Serena didn't move. "I never asked to be bound. I chose this life. And I choose it every day, even when people like you try to undermine me."
Rina tilted her head. "Then prove it. ."
"I won't prove anything to you ho" Serena replied.
Rael stood. "Serena, please."
Rina's voice dropped to a growl. "Ho?. Let me handle this bitch"
Serena looked her in the eye. "Come on."
Dominic stood between them and turned to the rest of the council. "Leave. All of you."
Rael opened his mouth, but a sharp look from Dominic shut him up. The others followed, grumbling, glancing between Serena and Rina like predators sensing blood.
When the doors closed, only Serena, Dominic, and Rina remained.
"I warned you," Rina whispered to Dominic. "She's going to drag you down."
"No," he said. "Go home."
Rina scoffed, brushing past him. She paused beside Serena, her voice cold and close. "You think love will protect you. But love, Serena, is the easiest thing to weaponize."
Serena didn't flinch. "Then come at me. But don't expect me to fall like you did."
Rina's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing more. She left with the sound of her heels echoing like gunshots.
The door clicked shut.
Dominic turned to Serena. "You shouldn't have come in."
"I had to," she said, sighing. "They need to see that I'm not afraid. That I won't be intimidated. Not by them. Not by her. Definitely not by you. We're married."
Dominic walked over, brushing his fingers against her arm. "You don't tell me everything do you? And I certainly don't badge in when you have meetings with Rose and Ada."
"Then maybe you should," she said.
Her phone buzzed multiple times, it was Rose. Her heart skipped a beat. Whenever Rose called like that there was trouble.