The elder raised a hand, quieting the hall. "The top four nominees for the Alpha King position are..." he paused for effect. "Urius Grey."
A round of applause filled the room, and Urius, seated at the front, smiled with a nod of appreciation.
His face held the dignity of a seasoned Alpha, his every movement composed.
The elder’s voice rose above the applause as he continued. "Lucas Rossi."
Lucas’s smile spread broadly across his face as he acknowledged the applause.
He glanced in Hades’s direction, his eyes twinkling with the same calm confidence.
Hades caught the look, feeling a flicker of irritation. Lucas was more than a worthy opponent, and the rivalry between them was far from over.
The elder raised his hand again. "Hades Grey."
Hades turned to face Lucas, his smirk even broader this time, as if he had already won some silent battle.
Lucas met his gaze calmly, unaffected, and Hades felt his moment of victory dampen just slightly.
It wasn’t enough to deter him, though. This title was his for the taking.
The elder’s voice came once more, cutting through the quiet.
"And lastly, we have..." He paused, letting the silence settle before finishing, "Atticus Grey."
The hall erupted into murmurs, shocked expressions echoing the bewilderment in the air.
Many turned to each other, whispering questions, while others craned their necks, searching for answers.
In the midst of it, a sharp, feminine voice cut through the chaos: "Who is Atticus Grey?"
Heads turned toward the voice, and Aurora followed, feeling a jolt of surprise as she recognized Elizabeth Grey, her stepmother.
Seated right next to her was Aurora’s own mother, Victoria Grey.
Aurora’s breath hitched.
She hadn’t expected them to be here, not after years of silence.
Her heart twisted painfully, a reminder of the countless unanswered calls and failed visits to reconnect with Victoria.
She had tried so hard, hoping to find even the faintest bond with her mother again.
Each attempt had been met with an empty house, an indifferent wall.
And now, here Victoria was, sitting calmly beside Elizabeth, seeming oblivious to Aurora’s presence.
Elizabeth stood up, her brows knitted in a mix of anger and disbelief.
She stared down at the elder on the podium. "Who is Atticus Grey?" she demanded again, her voice laced with irritation.
The elder gave a slight bow, then answered, "Atticus Grey is the eldest son of the ex-Alpha of Grey’s pack. He was born shortly after Hades, by the ex-Alpha’s first wife."
Elizabeth’s face twisted in a look of scorn, and she crossed her arms tightly.
"That is impossible," she scoffed. "Everyone knows there are only six sons in the Grey family. My husband would never keep such a secret from me."
Unfazed, the elder lifted a hand, as if to brush away any lingering doubts. "Atticus’s mother was, indeed, the first wife of the ex-Alpha—before you came into his life, Lady Elizabeth. And," he continued, holding up a document, "if there are any lingering doubts, here is a certified DNA test proving his parentage."
A shocked gasp rippled through the room as the large screen behind the elder flickered to life, displaying the document.
Atticus Grey’s DNA results, undeniably linking him to the former Alpha, stood as a testament.
Elizabeth’s face drained of color, her jaw dropping slightly.
She seemed to shrink back into her chair, too stunned to keep up her anger.
She turned her gaze down, humiliated.
Even if her husband hadn’t hidden a wife, there was no denying now that he’d fathered another son, a son named Atticus Grey.
With nothing left to say, she sank into her chair, subdued.
The elder glanced over the audience, waiting. "Now, are there any more objections regarding Atticus Grey’s lineage?"
Silence fell, and he nodded, taking it as silent approval. "Very well, then."
His voice resumed, cutting through the quiet once more. "As we move forward, we must also acknowledge those nominees whose votes were not sufficient to keep them in the running. As such, three nominees will be withdrawn."
Hades smirked, confidence radiating from him. He’d spent months greasing palms and making backdoor deals.
Surely, he thought to himself, his name would not be among those listed. No, he’d made sure of that.
The elder’s voice echoed through the hall. "The first nominee to be withdrawn is... Urius Grey."
A collective gasp swept over the room as Urius’s image flashed on the screen, alongside his vote count.
It was high, but apparently not high enough.
Urius jumped up from his seat, fists clenched.
"What?" he shouted, his voice laced with fury. "How can I be withdrawn? Look at those votes! They’re enough, I tell you!"
Finn, his brother, put a hand on Urius’s shoulder, trying to calm him. "Urius, maybe it’s best to—"
But Urius shook him off, frustration pouring from every fiber of his being. "No! I’ve worked too hard for this. I’m not going to be shoved aside like some nobody." He continued his rant, his voice rising with each word, until the elder’s warning came through.
"Compose yourself, Urius Grey, or you will be escorted out by the guards."
Urius glared at him, but, recognizing the finality in the elder’s tone, he reluctantly fell silent and returned to his seat, seething.
The elder allowed a moment for the room to settle before he resumed.
"The second nominee to be withdrawn..." He paused, and a heavy silence hung in the air.
Aurora felt a chill pass through her as he continued, "Lucas Rossi."
Her heart seemed to stop as Lucas’s face appeared on the screen, his vote count displayed beside it.
Despite a respectable showing, his numbers probably fell short of Hades’s and Atticus’s overwhelming lead.
A mocking laugh shattered the silence. Hades’s voice was smug, dripping with disdain.
"Looks like someone finally realized they weren’t the favorite!" He chuckled, folding his arms, casting a satisfied glance across the room. "All that effort for nothing."
Lucas clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.
The previous night had been a whirlwind of desperation. Knowing the vote count was tight, he’d spent hours making calls, trying to rally every ally he could think of.
He even enlisted Aurora’s help, despite how exhausted she was, and together, they’d contacted nearly every old friend and supporter in their network.
But apparently, it hadn’t been enough.
Aurora’s chest ached as she watched him now, his expression carefully guarded but his eyes reflecting disappointment.
The struggle, the sacrifices—they all seemed to crash down in a single, quiet moment.