The elder’s voice cut through again. "And now, our two remaining nominees..."
The screen shifted, showing side-by-side images of Hades Grey and Atticus Grey.
A murmur spread through the audience as they turned to the screen.
Everyone was familiar with Hades’s face, but as they looked at Atticus’s photo, a question simmered across the room: Where was he?
"Is he a prominent figure in the pack lands?" someone whispered behind Aurora.
"Is he even here?" someone else murmured, scanning the room.
The man beside Aurora, who had kept his face lowered and his cap pulled low, shifted slightly, adjusting his cap as if to shield himself from the glances.
The elder continued. "And now, the vote count."
With a flicker, the screen displayed the totals. Gasps swept through the room, eyes widening as they took in the numbers.
Atticus Grey: 6 million votes.
Hades Grey: 10 million votes.
Hades threw his head back, laughing victoriously. "Yes! I did it!"
His laughter echoed, filling the grand hall with a triumphant ring.
He didn’t waste a second, turning to Elizabeth Grey, who stood beaming with pride.
Elizabeth’s satisfaction radiated as she cast a smirk at Victoria, sitting quietly beside her.
"It seems," Elizabeth announced loudly, crossing her arms as if staking her claim, "that my son has proven himself once again, no matter who thought they could challenge him."
Victoria remained silent, her gaze unwavering but pained.
Aurora felt her heart tighten at the sight, but the triumph in Elizabeth’s voice grated against her nerves.
Meanwhile, Hades, buoyed by his mother’s approval, was in his element. He began to boast to anyone who would listen, his voice carrying a smugness that grated on every ear.
"Well, there’s no question who deserved this." He looked around, arms stretched out wide. "I always knew the people would choose right. There’s only one true heir, and now—"
A flicker interrupted his speech.
His own image appeared on the screen, but it wasn’t just a still. It was a video, one that caught him by surprise.
There he was, arms wrapped around Sophia, gently stroking her back in a manner far more intimate than any passing gesture.
His face softened, an unmistakable tenderness in his expression.
The crowd gasped, Elizabeth’s jaw dropping in shock.
Hades turned to look at the screen, his face going pale as the realization struck him.
"What...?" he stammered, taking a step back. "How...?"
As the video continued, Hades’s expression hardened.
He struggled to remember where and when this had happened.
"Sophia," his mind raced. "She was dead."
And any time he’d spent alone with her had been meticulously managed—there should have been no cameras.
But then it clicked.
That one day in the hospital... Sophia’s mother had been there. Yet, he’d only offered comfort, nothing else.
The scene played out as if in a bedroom, carefully edited to cast a different light on his actions.
Hades turned sharply to the technicians. "Turn that off! Now!" His voice rose, a desperate edge creeping into it. "I said turn it off!"
It took several demands, his voice growing increasingly frantic, before the screen finally went dark.
He exhaled a shuddering breath, regaining a bit of his composure, though anger simmered beneath the surface.
Across the room, Lucas leaned back, watching Hades with a raised eyebrow. "Guess Hades has more enemies than I thought," he murmured to Gabriel, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.
The elder cleared his throat, attempting to regain control of the situation. "There seems to have been a... technical error." He glanced around, hoping to steer the conversation back on track.
Then, unexpectedly, the man with the dark cap sitting beside Aurora spoke up. His voice was calm, steady. "What exactly do you mean by technical error?"
Aurora turned, surprised. She’d barely heard him utter a word since they’d been seated, and now his voice carried a quiet authority that drew everyone’s attention.
The man stood, slowly removing his cap. His face emerged from the shadow, and a ripple of shock swept across the room.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
It was Atticus Grey himself, his piercing gaze sweeping over the crowd, a quiet yet powerful presence.
Everyone’s jaws dropped, and Elizabeth’s face paled as she realized who was standing before them.
"Impossible," she whispered, the words slipping from her lips before she could catch them.
Atticus ignored her, his focus locked on Hades. "The video we all just witnessed is very much a reality," he said, his voice carrying across the room. "It’s clear Hades Grey has been... involved with Sophia, the daughter of a banished witch."
Hades sputtered, scrambling to defend himself. "That’s... That’s not true!"
Atticus arched an eyebrow, his voice cool and deliberate. "And yet, we all saw it. There’s no denying what was displayed here today. This ’technical error’ just revealed the truth you’ve been hiding."
Elizabeth stood, fury twisting her features. "This is none of your concern!" she snapped, her voice shaking. "So stay out of this."
Atticus smirked, folding his arms. "It is my concern, Elizabeth, and the concern of everyone present here," he replied, voice smooth yet carrying undeniable strength. "We’re here to choose an Alpha King who embodies integrity. We can’t assign that position to someone so...irresponsible."
Hades’s fists clenched, the cool facade he usually wore beginning to crack. His gaze darted toward Elizabeth, searching for an ally.
Elizabeth’s face twisted with outrage as she pointed sharply toward the Elder at the podium. "This Atticus should be dragged out of this hall immediately!" she demanded, voice echoing through the stunned crowd.
The Elder, visibly caught between duty and the fierce standoff in front of him, shook his head slowly. "Well, that won’t be possible, Lady Elizabeth," he replied, keeping his tone respectful but firm. "Atticus has done nothing but speak his truth."
Elizabeth scoffed, glancing from the Elder to the attendees, desperate to sway the room back in her favor.
"Truth?" She turned toward Atticus with a fiery glare. "How does that justify these accusations? Hades, of all people, is an Alpha King’s son. He knows right from wrong. He could have any she-wolf he desires—why would he stoop so low as to be involved with a witch’s daughter?"