Rejected and Pregnant I Fled The Pack (Evelyn and Damon) novel Chapter 196

I turned my attention toward my father, checking him for any sign of injury or genuine distress given the sudden, violent chaos. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, though I could see his own hands trembling slightly with residual adrenaline. "More concerned about your shoulder, given the wound he inflicted."

I glanced down, noting the blood already soaking through my shirt, though the pain remained manageable rather than genuinely severe. "Superficial, I think. I'll have the healers check it properly."

Helena approached, her expression carrying careful, professional concern despite her obvious effort to maintain composure following such violent disruption to formal proceedings. "Are you genuinely alright, Alpha-elect? This kind of direct assault within council chambers represents serious, unprecedented breach of formal security."

"I'm managing," I said, though exhaustion and lingering adrenaline both remained heavy beneath my attempted composure. "How did he even manage to breach security this thoroughly?"

"That requires immediate, thorough investigation," Helena said grimly. "Someone clearly provided assistance, whether through deliberate collaboration or simple negligence. We'll determine exactly what failed and ensure it never happens again."

I nodded, understanding the genuine significance of that necessary investigation, and moved to check on Miriam, finding her still visibly shaken but genuinely composed despite everything that had just unfolded.

"Are you alright," I asked gently.

"I will be," she said, though her voice carried obvious, lingering emotion. "Watching him, hearing him continue justifying everything he's done without any genuine remorse—it's difficult, confronting that kind of unrepentant cruelty directly."

"I understand," I said quietly, thinking of everything my own family had survived regarding Genevieve's similar, unrepentant instability and violence.

"Will he actually face genuine consequences now," Miriam asked, "given what just happened? Direct assault within formal council chambers, witnessed by everyone present?"

"Absolutely," Helena confirmed, joining our conversation. "This provides irrefutable, direct evidence of exactly the violent instability we've already documented from his previous actions. Formal proceedings will move forward immediately, likely resulting in permanent detention or exile, similar to previous cases we've navigated."

Something eased slightly in Miriam's expression at that confirmation, though genuine, complicated grief remained evident beneath her cautious relief.

"I'm fine," I confirmed, pulling her close despite my throbbing shoulder. "Damian attacked directly, tried to assault the council. We managed to subdue him properly, though he's likely facing permanent detention now given the severity of this direct assault."

She held me close, genuine relief evident despite her lingering concern, and I understood exactly how thoroughly this dramatic, violent confrontation had genuinely shaken everyone present, regardless of the ultimately successful outcome in actually subduing him.

"This finally feels genuinely resolved," I said quietly, holding her close amid the chamber's gradually settling chaos. "Damian's captured, facing whatever formal consequence the council determines appropriate. Miriam's community fully integrated. Whatever remains, I think we've finally reached actual, lasting resolution."

Evelyn nodded against my chest, though I could feel her own lingering tension, understanding the genuine, exhausting weight of everything our family had survived throughout this long, transformative journey.

"I love you," she said quietly. "And I'm genuinely grateful you're safe, despite everything chaotic that just happened."

"I love you too," I said, holding her close, understanding we'd genuinely earned whatever peaceful, hopeful future now finally stretched ahead of us, regardless of everything difficult and dangerous we'd needed to survive throughout this exhausting, transformative journey to actually reach this point.