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Irene needed no protection. Her shoulders were squared, eyes blazing with defiance as she released an equally fierce roar, challenging Henry to do his worst. She wasn’t going to back down.

"Whoa!" Leon quickly stepped between them, gripping Henry’s shoulder to hold him back. "I believe it hasn’t gotten to this. Remember, we’re here to gain the Alpha King’s approval, not his disapproval," he reminded the raging Alpha.

Henry didn’t struggle against Leon’s grip, but the rumbling growl in his throat didn’t lessen. Leon was the only thing standing in his way of teaching that insolent bitch a lesson she wouldn’t forget.

For a moment, it seemed like Henry was finally calming down, but that was until Irene tilted her head and called him, "Pussy."

And that did it!

Henry lost it!

He yanked free from Leon’s hold, fury blinding him as he charged straight at Irene. But before he could even close the distance, a jolt of electricity paralyzed him, sending him crashing to the ground with a brutal force.

All eyes snapped toward Zara, standing calmly to the side, holding a sleek, modified taser in her hand, its prongs still crackling faintly from the discharge.

"Told you the current worked just fine!" she said matter-of-factly, as if she hadn’t just incapacitated one of the most fearsome Alphas in the room. Rather, her tone suggested she was testing an experiment rather than subduing a predator.

Without a glance at Henry twitching on the ground, she turned back to her husband, still examining the taser with the fascination of a scientist evaluating a prototype.

And indeed, the particular model was specifically designed for werewolves. With humans and werewolves living closer than ever, they needed a way to protect themselves. Storm Enterprises was simply meeting that demand.

"So why was Ace complaining that the voltage wasn’t enough? Does he want to take a life?" Her husband, Caspian asked, equally unfazed by the sight of Henry on the floor.

Zara scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Of course, It’s Ace. He complains about everything. Had it been Alaric, he would’ve just gotten the job done without saying a word."

Caspian chuckled, puffing out his chest with pride. "Of course my boy Alaric is the best."

Meanwhile, the other alphas standing on their feet exchanged disbelieving glances. These two were strange, to say the least. Their detached, almost scientific approach to violence was unsettling, even to those accustomed to bloodshed.

Before the awkward tension could deepen, a loud announcement echoed through the hall.

"The Alpha King arrives!"

Immediately, they straightened, shoulders stiffening as Elijah strode in with his usual imposing presence, only to stop short at the sight of Henry, still twitching on the ground. His green eyes swept across the room, taking in the alphas before he chuckled under his breath.

"You guys never fail to amuse me."

As Elijah took his seat at the head of the mahogany table, Caspian muttered to his wife, "Perhaps the voltage needs some adjusting. It’s taking longer than expected for Henry to recover."

Zara barely spared him a glance. "Taser 4.0 was designed to give humans enough time to escape a werewolf attack, not for this exact situation. So yes, it’s naturally going to take longer for him to recover."

"Still, perhaps we should’ve tested it on someone else. Henry won’t be pleased if he misses this—"

The sound of a hissing breath from Irene cut them short. Both couples looked up to see Elijah seated and staring at them, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Apologies, Alpha King," Caspian said, both of them respectfully quieting.

As the silence fell, Henry slowly stirred, his eyes flashing open. His muscles trembled from the aftershock as he slowly pushed himself upright. His gaze landed on Zara with murderous intent, his anger unmistakable. He was not going to let this slide.

"Alpha Henry," Elijah called casually. "You seem to enjoy the floor of my palace. If you’re interested, I wouldn’t mind hiring you to clean it. It would be...humbling." His tone dripped with mockery.

Henry’s jaw clenched, and he bit back a growl. This was the Alpha King, and he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

"I would love to oblige, Your Majesty, but the West region would be left without a warden. I wouldn’t want to burden you with the chaos that would follow."

Elijah waved a hand lazily. "Whatever. Let’s make this quick and get it over with. I have more important matters to attend to."

Despite the tension between Henry and Irene, their eyes locked, both silently questioning Elijah’s words. Other important matters?

What could possibly be more important than the concerns of his wardens?

The answer was clear: After their betrayal —as he often called it—Elijah had made his stance known. Whether they thrived or perished, it didn’t matter. His heart had long since hardened to their fates.

Henry, frustrated, was the first to speak. "There’s been a surge of Rogue attacks along my borders in the past three months —"

Elijah’s gave him an incredulous look. "Are you seriously asking me to fight your battles now?

Do I, the King, have to take care of every little fight for you?

Or is this just another attempt to accuse me of incompetence?

" His voice dipped into a sneer. "Do you all want to throw me off the throne before your sons even graduate? "

"It’s not what you think, Your Majesty." Leon stepped forward, "These aren’t the usual scattered rogue attacks. They’re organized. Coordinated. It’s almost as if someone’s leading them. The West house has lost both territory and warriors, and still, your response has been silence."

"I share the same concern," Irene, Alpha of the East, added. "In our case, they’ve set fire to our smaller packs and kidnapped our women. Pureblooded she-wolves are rare as it is, we can’t afford to lose any more."

"These aren’t random strikes," Caspian added grimly, his voice carrying a note of forewarning. "They attacked and ransacked one of my companies, and stole weapons that could give them an upper hand in their next attack. Perhaps even an attack against the palace itself."

At that, the room fell into an intense silence. All eyes turned to Elijah, waiting for his response. But to their shock, instead of concern, his lips twisted into a sneer, eyes glittering with suspicion.

"So you armed our enemies? Is that the next step in your plan?" His voice dropped, heavy with accusation. "Was gifting your children those wretched powers not enough? Now you want to kill me and clear the road for them?"