Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 215

Ezra's POV

The weight of leadership had never felt so heavy on my shoulders as I stood by the windows of my office.

I clenched my jaw as I replayed the disastrous meeting with the elders in my mind, their barely concealed disdain for Isolde burning like acid in my gut.

The familiar scent of sandalwood and leather—Orion's distinct signature—reached me moments before the knock on my door.

"Come in," I called, not bothering to turn around yet.

The door opened and closed with a soft click. "You wanted to see me?" Orion's voice was steady, professional as always, but with an undercurrent of concern that only those who knew him well could detect.

I finally turned, facing one of the few people I truly trusted in this den of wolves. Orion stood tall, his amber eyes watchful and ready. The Hawthorne family had been a part of Silver Moon for generations, but only Orion had proven worthy of complete trust—despite the constant trouble his father Aiden and sister Evanthe caused.

"How are you holding up?" I asked, genuinely concerned about the pressure Orion faced from his own family's machinations.

Orion shrugged slightly. "I'm fine. More concerned about you." His gaze sharpened as he studied my face. "How did the meeting with the elders go?"

My expression darkened immediately. I moved away from the window, restless energy making it impossible to stand still.

Orion crossed his arms, not buying the deflection for a second. "Ezra, what happened? I can smell the anger rolling off you from across the room."

I exhaled sharply, my control slipping for a moment. "It was a fucking disaster."

"Tell me."

"They've turned against me, Orion. Somehow, they managed to pull those three elders who were supporting me to their side." I felt my eyes flash gold momentarily. "Can you believe those old wolves had the audacity to suggest I reconsider choosing Isolde as the Luna of Silver Moon? They said she's dangerous."

"I had to use every ounce of restraint not to show those elders what real Alpha fury looks like," I growled, my voice dropping an octave.

Orion remained impressively calm in the face of my anger. "That was to be expected. They're stuck in the last century, those old men. Don't let their opinions cloud your judgment." He approached me steadily. "We'll handle this ourselves and prove them wrong."

I took several deep breaths, forcing the gold to recede from my eyes. Prime, my wolf, was still snarling inside me, demanding retribution against those who questioned my mate. But Orion was right—now was not the time for blind rage but for calculated strategy.

"Let's sit," I said, gesturing toward the sitting area with its luxurious leather sofas.

Once we were settled, I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, expression deadly serious. "I need to know that you fully understand what we're dealing with here, Orion."

"I do."

"Isolde was upset about Evanthe's pregnancy, yes. But she never once suggested or talked about harming your sister." My voice was firm with conviction. "These past days, I've had her confined to a secret apartment because she's tried to escape the Moon Alliance Program multiple times. She couldn't have poisoned Evanthe. Which means—"

"Evanthe set it up herself," Orion finished, his face hardening with the realization.

I nodded slowly, studying my security director's reaction. "You believe that? That your own sister would plan something this elaborate and dangerous to frame Isolde?"

Orion took a deep breath, his scent shifting with a mixture of resignation and bitterness. "I believe it. My sister has always had... tendencies."

I leaned back, processing this confirmation of my suspicions. "What I can't figure out is why Evanthe would take such a risk. Why would she..." My brow furrowed as I forced myself to articulate the thought. "Why would Evanthe take poison, deliberately abort her child? That child she's been claiming is mine, the future heir to Silver Moon. Why would she kill that child just to set Isolde up?"

The question hung in the air between us, heavy with implications. Orion's expression shifted, a look of grim understanding crossing his features.

"Because the child wasn't yours," he said finally, his voice low but clear.

Orion continued, his words deliberate and measured. "She wanted to kill three birds with one stone. You would hate Isolde for killing your unborn child, maybe punish her or banish her from the Moon Alliance Program. You would feel sympathy for Evanthe, possibly even choose her as your official mate. And she would no longer be pregnant with a child that wasn't yours in the first place, giving her the opportunity to now get pregnant with your actual heir."

I felt dangerous golden light flash in my eyes once more as the full implications sank in. Then a cold smile curved my lips, the expression of a predator who had just spotted a fatal weakness in his prey.

*The bitch played us all,* Prime growled in my mind. *She will pay for this.*

"So what you're saying," I summarized, my voice unnervingly calm, "is that to prove Isolde's innocence, we need to expose Evanthe. Find evidence that the child she was carrying wasn't mine. Prove that she orchestrated her own poisoning and framed Isolde for it. That's what we need to show the pack and the board."

Orion nodded, his normally calm demeanor showing cracks of disgust. "Evanthe has done many underhanded things to Isolde and other Moon Alliance girls in the past. I've looked the other way too many times because our father always protected her." His jaw muscles tightened visibly. "I'm tired of it. Tired of how our father puts family advancement above everything else, including basic decency."

His eyes met mine directly, determination hardening his features. "Her time of privilege is over."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me—not that I'd doubted Orion's loyalty, but having him openly stand against his own family for what was right meant more than I could express.

"Orion..." My voice softened slightly. "You don't know what it means to have someone like you standing with me in this."

The security director straightened his shoulders, his response coming without hesitation. "Whatever it takes, I will protect Silver Moon's interests and yours. I swore my allegiance to you, not to family conspiracies." His eyes flashed with a momentary gold sheen of his own. "My responsibility is to you alone. I swear it on my life."

I nodded, sincerely moved by the declaration. "I never doubted your loyalty." I stood, walking toward the private bar located in one corner of my office. "Now that we've established our goal, let's formulate a plan to expose Evanthe."

"I already have a few ideas," Orion replied, following me.

I pulled out two crystal glasses and poured a generous amount of aged whiskey into each. My mood had visibly improved, the crushing weight from earlier lifting somewhat. As I handed one glass to Orion, my eyes gleamed with dangerous determination.

"Let's hear them."