Alina’s POV

Lucian held my hand tightly, his fingers crushing mine as if he were desperately afraid I would vanish if he let go. He looked down at me, his dark eyes wide with anxiety. "Can I come inside with you?"

"You can’t, Lucian," I said softly, giving his hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "The Council isn’t exactly fond of rogues. Stepping in there will only make things worse."

He let out a frustrated breath, but his grip didn’t loosen. "That’s fine. But I will wait right outside the doors for you if I have to. I just want to be close to you."

I offered him a grateful smile and nodded. "Let’s go then." Turning back toward the hallway, I looked at my brother. "Sammy, please take care of Leo while I’m gone."

"No problem," Sammy replied instantly, giving me a supportive nod. "His uncle has got him covered."

With that, Lucian and I left the estate. The entire drive to Aiden’s pack mansion was a nightmare I wished I could wake up from. My stomach was tied in knots, and a heavy, suffocating nervousness pressed down on my chest. I had absolutely no idea what the Council would decide today, but one thing was certain—I could not afford to lose Leo, no matter what. He was my entire world.

When the car finally screeched to a halt in front of the familiar, looming mansion, Lucian turned to me. He reached over, cupping my cheek to press a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. "I’ll be right out here waiting," he murmured against my skin.

I nodded, drawing strength from his warmth, and stepped out of the vehicle.

The moment I walked through the grand front doors, the pack housekeepers began to whisper and murmur my name. I watched their expressions as I passed; some of them looked genuinely excited to see me back, while others just looked deeply worried. I kept my head held high, refusing to let them see my fear.

But my footsteps ground to a sudden halt when Emily stepped out, blocking the hallway right in front of me.

"You actually had the nerve to show your face back here?" Emily sneered, her voice dripping with heavy irritation as she crossed her arms.

I stopped, looking at her with a completely exhausted expression. "I really have absolutely no time for any of your drama today, Emily. Back away from me."

Emily took a step closer, her lip curling in disgust. "You really have absolutely no shame left in you, do you, Alina?"

I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, tilting my head as a cold smirk played on my lips. "We really don’t want to do this today, Emily. You’re standing there talking to me about shame? Please, don’t make me laugh right now. Now get the hell out of my way, or I will gladly make you move."

Seeing the dangerous spark in my eyes, Emily visibly flinched. A flicker of fear crossed her face, and she instinctively took a hasty step backward, clearing the path.

I marched past her without another glance, taking a deep, stabilizing breath as I reached the heavy double doors of the Council chamber. The guards posted outside bowed their heads and threw the doors open for me.

The moment I stepped inside, the heavy atmosphere hit me like a wall. The elders of the Council were already seated at the massive crescent table, waiting for me. Aiden was sitting on the far side of the room, his intense gaze locking onto me the second I walked in. I quickly averted my eyes, refusing to look at him.

I walked to the center of the room and offered a polite, formal nod. "Greetings, elders."

"Take your seat, Alina," one of the older Council members commanded, gesturing to the empty chair in front of them. His voice was deep and entirely devoid of warmth. Once I sat down, he leaned forward, his sharp eyes drilling into mine. "It has come to our attention that you completely failed to follow the rules of the custody contract. The contract strictly stated that you would live close to Aiden, as that is the only legal way for the both of you to have equal access to your son—the rightful heir of this household."

Hearing his words, I sat up straighter, my voice clear and firm as I addressed the entire panel. "Elders, I did respect the contract. I truly did. But Aiden was the very first one to violently break the terms when he took me captive and turned me into a slave under his roof."

"That is a blatant lie!" Aiden barked from his seat, slamming his fist on the table as he countered my statement. "I never did such a thing!"

I whipped my head around to glare at him, a harsh, mocking scoff escaping my throat. "Really, Aiden? Are you honestly going to sit here and pretend that I wasn’t thrown directly into your pack prison just so you could control my every move?"

Aiden’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with frustration. "That was never my intention, Alina."

"It might not have been your intention, but you did it anyway," I countered flatly, turning my attention back to the elders. "I did not feel safe in his territory, so I thought it was best for my own well-being that I leave."

"With a rogue," another Council member interjected, his voice dripping with pure disdain. He leaned over the table, his expression hardening. "You know exactly how this Council feels about rogues, Alina. Yet, you willingly defied the law of the pack and went ahead to go live with a rogue."

My hands clenched into tight fists in my lap, my fingernails digging into my palms as my blood began to boil.

The elder leaned in even closer, his tone turning furious and booming through the chamber. "What kind of twisted teachings do you expect to give your son with that lifestyle? Answer us!"