Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 227

Chapter 227

“Did 12” Ronan blinked owlishly. “I was simply recounting history. Thornridge Pack was accused of treason. They were eliminated. These

are facts, are they not?”

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“They were planning rebellion!” Kaius’s voice rose slightly. “The charges were legitimate!”

Other guests had started to gather, drawn by the commotion. I could feel dozens of eyes watching us.

I quickly stepped forward, placing myself between Kaius and the old man. “Elder Ronan, is it? I apologize, but I’m not familiar with your

name on the Elder Council roster. Would you mind confirming your credentials?”

Ronan reached into his worn coat and produced an invitation-official seal and all. “I may not be well-known, my Queen, but I was indeed selected by my fellow Elders to attend. He handed me the parchment with a slight bow. “You understand, of course-after you appointed that useless bookworm Faelan Willowbrook as Chief Elder, most of the senior council members refused to attend your coronation.”

There were a few gasps from the watching crowd.

Ronan continued, completely unbothered by the reaction. “They sent me instead! Consider me the consolation prize!” He laughed, the sound oddly cheerful. “But I’m genuinely delighted to be here! Truly! It’s my honor to witness the White Wolf’s ascension to Queen!”

I examined the invitation carefully. Everything appeared legitimate-proper seals, correct formatting, Ronan’s name clearly written.

“Well then. I forced a smile, though something about this old man made my instincts scream warnings. “Welcome, Elder Ronan, Please,

allow me to show you to your quarters.”

I gestured for a servant to guide him inside, then turned to Kaius. His jaw was still clenched, his hands balled into fists.

“Let it go,” I murmured quietly. “Not here. Not now.”

He took a slow breath, then nodded stiffly.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of introductions.

Arabella, the Arch-Witch and representative of the High Coven, arrived with an entourage of her people. She was nothing like what I’d expected-no dark robes or creepy accessories. Instead, she wore practical clothing and had a warm, almost maternal presence. Her red hair cascaded down her back, and her slightly plump figure only added to her approachable demeanor.

“Queen Elowen.” She took my hands in hers, her grip firm. “On behalf of all witches who practice honorable magic, I apologize for those who chose the dark path. Morgath and her followers do not represent us.”

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Chapter 227

“I know,” I assured her. “Thank you for coming.

Then there was Zane, the vampire representative.

Everything about him screamed predator. Those green eyes seemed to glow with an inner light, and when he smiled, I caught a glimpse of

fangs. His entire presence made my wolf bristle with instinctive wariness.

Yet when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly warm. Modern. Almost… friendly?

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet the legendary White Wolf,” he said smoothly. “I’ve heard so many stories. I hope we can build a strong

alliance between our peoples.”

The contradiction between his cold, vampiric appearance and his cordial manner left me deeply unsettled.

By five in the afternoon, we’d greeted every single guest-including Kaius’s parents, the former Alpha King and Queen. Seeing his mother

again brought back her warning about how power changes people, but I pushed the thought aside.

I’d never seen so many important figures gathered in one place. The castle was practically overflowing with supernatural royalty.

Part of me was thrilled-tomorrow, I’d receive the Moon Goddess’s blessing in front of all these witnesses. But another part of me couldn’t shake a creeping anxiety. At least a third of these guests weren’t here to offer blessings. They were here to watch. To judge. Maybe even to

see me fail.

And that Elder Ronan… something about him bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

That evening, I found myself at Chief Elder Faelan’s door, knocking urgently.

He opened it looking slightly disheveled, his spectacles askew. “Queen Elowen? Is everything alright?”

*Faelan, I need to ask you about one of the guests. An Elder named Ronan-do you know anything about him?”

I described the strange old man’s behavior, his knowledge of the castle’s history, the veiled hostility toward Kaius.

Faelan’s face went pale. “Ronan? As in… Elder Ronan from Thornridge Pack?*

My stomach dropped. “Thornridge Pack?”

“Yes.” Faelan pushed his spectacles up nervously. “He was their chief advisor before… before the King destroyed them. From what I understand, Ronan was away on some kind of spiritual journey when the attack happened. When he returned and found his entire pack slaughtered…” He trailed off. “He disappeared after that. No one’s heard from him in years.*

We stared at each other in silence.

An Elder whose entire pack had been wiped out by Kaius.

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Alpha’s STOLEN Mate