Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 244

Ezra's POV

The heavy oak doors of the conference room closed behind the last of the former elders, their footsteps echoing down the hallway like a funeral march.

I remained seated at the head of the table, watching through the floor-to-ceiling windows as they emerged from Silver Moon Tower's entrance below, their movements stiff with shock and indignation.

*Good riddance.*

They huddled together on the sidewalk, gesturing wildly, no doubt trying to process what had just happened. From this height, they looked small, insignificant—exactly what they'd become the moment I stripped them of their power.

Dissolving the Council of Elders wasn't just radical—it was unprecedented in Silver Moon's history. But the alternative? My jaw clenched at the thought.

*Better they lose their positions than their lives,* I thought grimly. The media would have a field day with "Silver Moon CEO Brutally Attacks Board Member."

A simple restructuring announcement was far more palatable than explaining why I'd put Elder Nash through a wall.

"That was quite the bombshell for them."

I glanced up to find Nathaniel standing in the doorway, having returned after seeing the elders out. His expression remained professionally neutral, but I caught the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth.

"You think it was too radical?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. The leather creaked under my weight as I fixed him with a steady gaze.

Both Nathaniel and Orion, who'd been quietly observing from his position by the window, shook their heads with almost comical synchronization.

"Absolutely not, Alpha," Orion said firmly.

Nathaniel moved further into the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "To be honest, I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Those elders..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "They claimed to act in the corporation's best interests, but they never actually supported any of your decisions. You don't need them or their so-called wisdom to run the Silver Moon empire. I'm glad you finally realized that and took action."

I studied them both, noting the genuine relief in their expressions. "Interesting that neither of you ever mentioned these opinions to me. Why?"

Orion shifted uncomfortably, his hand moving to adjust his already perfect cuffs—a tell I'd noticed over the years when he was nervous. "Alpha Ezra, those elders were... or rather, were appointed by your father as advisors to help you take over the corporation. I didn't have the audacity to suggest dissolving the council just because I disagreed with their methods. That required someone with your level of authority and decisiveness. I don't have that kind of power."

A cold laugh escaped me as I shook my head. *Authority indeed.* "You two are overly cautious," I muttered, though there was no real heat in the words.

I pushed back from the table and stood, moving to the window where Orion had been stationed. Isolde was hiding somewhere out there.

*Major problems solved,* I catalogued mentally. *Evanthe—dealt with permanently. The interfering Elder Council—dissolved.*

I should be celebrating. There was a bottle of thirty-year-old Macallan in my office that would be perfect for the occasion. But how could I drink to victory when my mate was still missing?

The thought of Isolde sent a familiar ache through my chest, that hollow sensation that had become my constant companion since her disappearance.

*Where is she?* The question consumed me, repeating endlessly like a broken record. *Where is my mate?*

My reflection in the window showed none of this turmoil. Years of practice had taught me to keep my emotions locked away, presenting only cold control to the world. But inside...inside I was fracturing.

I turned back to face Nathaniel and Orion, and whatever warmth had briefly colored our interaction vanished. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

"None of these victories matter," I said, my voice flat and emotionless. "Not Evanthe's execution, not the council's dissolution—none of it means anything until Isolde is back where she belongs. With me."

They straightened instinctively at the shift in my tone.

"I want you to contact every search team we've deployed across the districts and affiliated corporations," I continued, each word precise and cutting. "Tell them to scour every inch of this city. I don't care if they have to search other packs' territories—find her. Now. Immediately."

"Yes, Alpha," they responded in unison, already reaching for their phones.

"Orion," I called as he turned to leave.

He paused, looking back with raised eyebrows.

"You've hidden your relationship with Thalia long enough," I said, surprising him with the change of subject. "It's time to make it official. Let everyone see that the Silver Moon Group's Gamma has chosen his mate."

His amber eyes widened slightly. "Alpha, I—"

"You're my Gamma and one of the most powerful wolves in this city," I cut him off. "Your bond has significant importance for the pack. Anyone who dares to disparage her because of her background can answer to you personally. I'm tired of people in our ranks clinging to outdated prejudices."

"Thank you, Alpha Ezra," Orion said, and I could hear the genuine gratitude in his voice. "I'll make the arrangements."

I winced internally at the formal title. I hated when he called me that, especially in private. But today wasn't the day to correct him. Too much else demanded my attention.

Rising from my chair with fluid grace, I straightened my jacket. Both men immediately lowered their heads in that automatic gesture of respect that sometimes grated on my nerves. Even after all these years, even in private moments like this, they maintained such rigid formality.

*Stiff,* I thought, not for the first time.

Without another word, I strode toward the door. I needed to get back to my penthouse, needed space to think without the weight of others' expectations. There had to be something we were missing, some angle we hadn't considered in the search for Isolde.

*This can't be how our story ends. I'll tear this entire city apart if I have to. I'll burn down every obstacle in my path. Whatever it takes—I will find you. Isolde, hold on. I'm coming for you.*