19. MATEO

19

MATEO

The council room is suffocating. The air feels thick, charged with unspoken tension, my wolf pacing beneath my skin, ready to snap at the smallest provocation. I sit at the head of the table, fingers curled tightly around the arms of my chair as my glare sweeps over the faces staring back at me.

Kehlani sits across from me, his expression cool and calculating, like he’s already decided this conversation isn’t going anywhere. River sits on my left, Bo on my right, arms crossed over his chest as he shifts uncomfortably, trying to stay neutral. The two other council members—Alphas appointed only weeks ago—don’t speak. They just watch, waiting to see who will break first.

I can feel Nepheline’s emotions through the bond, faint but relentless—a whirlwind of frustration, exhaustion, and something darker that I can’t quite place. I try to shield her from my own turmoil, but it’s useless. She feels everything, even when she doesn’t want to.

And she won’t ask for help.

That’s what weighs on me the most. I see it every time she pushes herself too hard, every time her magic slips out of control and leaves her gasping. I feel her unraveling, piece by piece, and I know if we’re not careful, she’ll shut us out again—just like she did when we found her. Trying to carry it all on her own. Trying to save everyone else while she drowns.

I can’t let that happen. I won’t.

But that doesn’t make this any easier.

“This is reckless,” Kehlani says, breaking the silence with his infuriating calm. He leans forward slightly, his silver hair catching the light. “Going after the super wolves is a mistake, Mateo. It’ll bring nothing but pain to your pack.”

I clench my jaw, forcing my voice to stay even. “And doing nothing is smarter?”

Kehlani narrows his eyes. “I didn’t say that. But charging headfirst into a fight you don’t need is a dangerous choice for any Alpha—one that could cost you more than you realize.”

My wolf growls low inside me, River shifting subtly at my side, as though sensing my rising irritation. “We’re not charging headfirst into anything,” I bite out. “We’re preparing. We’re planning. ”

“And putting your pack directly in harm’s way,” Kehlani shoots back, his voice hardening. “The super wolves are not your problem anymore. Silas is dead. The pack of the Forbidden is scattered. There’s no reason to risk your people for ghosts.”

I slam my palm down on the table, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. “They’re not ghosts,” I snarl. “They’re out there. I can feel it—Asani can feel it. And if we don’t act now, we’ll be the ones caught off guard when they come for us.”

Kehlani doesn’t flinch, but I see the way his jaw tightens, the faintest flicker of something uncertain in his eyes. “And you think your pack is ready to face them?”

“Maverick used to take them down before,” I say, my voice sharper now. “ Alone. He didn’t shift. He didn’t have magic. And he still survived. So don’t sit there and tell me this can’t be done.”

“That was different,” Kehlani argues. “He fought in the shadows, picking them off one by one. That’s not what you’re proposing here. You want to hunt them down. To confront them head-on.”

Bo clears his throat, finally stepping in. “Mateo’s not suggesting we fight them blindly,” he says carefully, his deep voice steady. “There’s a plan. Isn’t there?”

“There is,” I answer, leaning forward to meet Kehlani’s gaze. “Asani’s been working on an anti-serum—a neutralizer that can target their enhancements. It can be delivered from a distance. We don’t have to get close to them. We’ll take them down before they ever see us coming.”

Kehlani scoffs, shaking his head. “And you trust this… serum? You trust that it will work when the time comes?”

“I trust Asani,” I growl. “And I trust my pack.”

The room falls into silence again, tense and heavy as Kehlani glares at me. I know what he’s thinking—that I’m being reckless, that my need to protect my family and my pack is clouding my judgment. And maybe it is. Maybe I’m too close to this.

But I can’t sit back and wait. Not when the whispers of something darker are crawling at the edges of the packlands. Not when Nepheline wakes up shaking, haunted by visions and voices she won’t talk about. Not when I know something —or someone—is pulling the strings.

Kehlani sighs, leaning back in his chair as he rubs a hand over his face. “This isn’t just about the super wolves, is it?”

“No,” I admit quietly. “It’s not.”

River shifts beside me, his voice low but firm as he finally speaks. “We’ve all felt it, Kehlani. The magic in the packlands is changing and it’s drawing attention. If we’re not ready to defend ourselves, we’ll lose everything we’ve built.”

Kehlani glances at him, then back at me, his expression hard to read. “And you think you’re ready?”

“Explain it to me, Kehlani,” I demand, ignoring his question. “Why won’t you step forward to protect the packs? Why are you so dead-set on sitting back while threats keep building?”

Kehlani’s silver gaze narrows slightly as he shifts in his chair, still impossibly collected. “I didn’t say I won’t protect the packs. I said the packlands are the priority. We have the veil. The magic is returning. There is no need to stir chaos by chasing every lingering shadow out there. We are safe. ”

Safe. The word rings through my head like a taunt, snapping something inside me.

“ Safe? ” I bite out, my voice rising. “You think this is safe? When wolves are still out there, hiding in the dark, ready to tear through everything we’ve rebuilt? When my mate is hearing whispers that shouldn’t exist? When super wolves could be watching us right now? And you call that safe? ”

Kehlani doesn’t respond, just sits there like the mountain he’s made himself into, unyielding. My wolf pushes against the edges of my control, begging to snap, but before I can lose it, River shifts slightly beside me.

I feel his glare before I even look at him.

It’s sharp, pointed, and enough to make me pause, sucking in a slow, shaky breath. River has that effect—he doesn’t have to say a word to make me stop spiraling, doesn’t have to do much of anything except be there. He waits for my shoulders to drop, for the flare of my anger to settle back into a steady burn, and then he turns his cool, unreadable gaze on Kehlani.

“If you let a problem fester, it doesn’t disappear,” River growls. “It gets worse. That’s what’s happening now. Ignoring this threat won’t protect the packlands—it will put everything we’ve built at risk.”

Kehlani’s expression darkens, but River doesn’t give him a chance to argue.

“Do you think the pack exists in a bubble?” River continues, tilting his head slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto Kehlani’s. “Our wolves don’t stay here all the time. They go to the city. They work. They go to school. They have lives outside the boundaries of the packlands. If the world isn’t safe, then the packlands aren’t safe either. If you can’t see that, then you’re just as blind as Silas was.”

The room falls silent, River’s words hitting with the weight of a sledgehammer. Kehlani scoffs softly, the sound more dismissive than I can stomach.

“Then you’ll be fighting forever,” Kehlani mutters, leaning back in his chair as though the debate is already over. “There will always be something, someone—another threat waiting in the dark. You can’t neutralize them all.”

I push to my feet so suddenly my chair scrapes against the floor, the sound harsh in the quiet. “ And? ” I snap, throwing my arms out as I take a step closer to the table. My voice echoes, rough and full of the frustration I’ve been carrying for weeks. “Why wouldn’t we fight forever? Why wouldn’t we take every single step to make sure our wolves—our family —are safe?”

Kehlani stares at me, brows drawn together like he can’t comprehend what I’m saying. I don’t let up.

“One day, we’ll have children,” I say, my voice dropping to a quieter but no less forceful tone. The words taste like a vow, like a promise, and they hit deeper than I expect. “One day, there will be pups running through these halls, laughing, growing, living. And when that day comes, I want every single one of them to do whatever they damn well please. I want them to go wherever they want to go, to live however they want to live, without looking over their shoulders. I don’t want to restrict them because I was too much of a coward to take steps to make the world safe. ”

Silence follows, so heavy it could crush us all. I stare at Kehlani, daring him to argue, daring him to call me foolish or reckless one more time. My chest rises and falls with the effort to keep my wolf in check, but I don’t look away. When Kehlani doesn’t push back, I fix my seat and drop into it before focusing on the real issue that recently came up.

“There was an incident last night in town. A possible super wolf sighting,” I clarify, watching the reactions carefully. “We don’t know for certain, but the report came from two of our wolves who were working late near the outskirts. A figure—too fast, too large—was seen moving through the shadows. It disappeared before they could get a better look.”

River’s gaze flicks to mine but I don’t falter. I know what he’s thinking. If it’s happening this close to the packlands, we’re running out of time.

“What do you want us to do?” Bo asks.

“River will lead the initiative to scout the area.” I nod toward him, my guard and my lover. “The instructions are clear—no one engages. No one gets close. We’re there to scout, stay hidden, and use the anti-serum Asani crafted. One dart, then you disappear. Nothing else.”

Everyone murmurs their agreement but of course, Kehlani finds a problem with it. “And you think that’s going to work? You’re sending wolves to hunt something they can’t control. Something none of us fully understand.”

I don’t snap, but I want to. I grip the edge of the table harder, grounding myself. “It’s not hunting. It’s preparation. If the super wolves are this close, we need to know. We need to act before they do.”

Kehlani’s lips press into a thin line, but before he can speak, River steps forward, his calm voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “I’ll handpick the wolves myself,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Wolves I know and trust. If they can’t follow my instructions, they won’t be part of this.”

“I have wolves I can offer,” Kehlani says, his words clipped but careful. “Trained, experienced—”

“Can they follow orders?” River interrupts, tilting his head slightly as his sharp gaze lands on Kehlani. “Because if they can’t, they’ll only put themselves—and everyone else—at risk.”

Kehlani’s jaw tightens, the faintest flash of irritation crossing his face. “My wolves are more than capable.”

“And yet you’re the one who doesn’t want us stepping into harm’s way,” River replies smoothly, his voice calm but laced with steel. “So tell me—are they here to follow orders or are they here to question them?”

The silence that follows is razor-sharp. Kehlani glares at River, his shoulders stiff, but River doesn’t flinch. He holds Kehlani’s gaze, unwavering, and I feel the quiet dominance radiating off him in waves.

“Let’s not turn this into a pissing match,” Bo says, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a hammer. “River’s leading this. If Kehlani’s wolves can help, let them help. If they can’t follow orders, they sit out. Simple.”

River gives him a small nod, though there’s no warmth in it. “They can sit this one out for now,” he says quietly. “If we need additional help, we’ll let you know. But we’re not risking anyone who can’t stick to the plan.”

“And what if the plan fails?” Kehlani challenges.

“Then we adapt,” River answers, unbothered. “Like we always do.”

The room falls silent again, but it’s clear the lines are being drawn. Kehlani is testing me, testing River, and while I know his concerns are valid, his constant pushback is starting to feel more like resistance than caution.

River doesn’t let it linger. He straightens, his gaze cool as it locks on Kehlani. “Victoria mentioned that the Sapphire wolves came here to nurture and protect. To help us restore the packlands. Not to fight.” His words hang heavy in the air, deliberate and cutting. “If that changes, let me know.”

Kehlani doesn’t answer, though his scowl deepens.

I push away from the table, letting the scrape of my chair break the tension as I straighten to my full height. “That’s enough for today,” I say, my voice steady but final. “River, start assembling your team. Bo, I’ll need you to coordinate with Asani to make sure the anti-serum is ready to use on a larger scale.”

Both of them nod in agreement, rising from their seats. I don’t wait for Kehlani to speak again. I’m done with his constant push and pull. If he doesn’t want to be part of this, that’s his choice—but I’m not about to let his doubts slow us down.

The others begin to file out, leaving me standing alone at the head of the table, my pulse thrumming with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. River lingers, stepping up beside me as the room empties. “You okay?” he asks quietly, his voice low enough that no one else hears.

I let out a slow breath, dragging a hand through my hair. “I don’t know,” I admit. “Kehlani’s starting to test my patience.”

“He’ll come around,” River replies, his voice steady and certain. “But even if he doesn’t, we’ll handle this without him.”

I nod, my shoulders dropping slightly as I let his calm seep into me. I feel the faint pulse of Nepheline through the bond again, her emotions muted but present—frustration, restlessness, exhaustion. I’ll deal with Kehlani later. Right now, my priority is her.

“Go check on her,” River says, like he can sense exactly where my thoughts are. “I’ll start pulling the team together.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before I find myself lingering there, drinking in the warmth that River provides. Some part of me wants to just exist in this moment but there will be time for that.

Right after this next obstacle.