The Princess's Revenge Chapter 112

Valencia's POV

I smoothed down the deep blue dress Logan had chosen for me. "You look beautiful," Logan said from behind me, his reflection appearing in the mirror. He was dressed in formal Alpha attire—black leather with silver embroidery, the sword at his hip.

A soft knock on the door. Elias entered, followed by Ryan, Bastian and Thomas. All four were dressed in their finest warrior attire.

"Alpha," Elias said with a respectful bow. "It's nearly noon. The council will be starting soon."

Logan squeezed my hand once more before releasing it. "Let's go."

We walked through the palace corridors. "The council chamber is in the eastern wing," Logan explained quietly. "The meeting will be held in the Hall of Alphas, where the most important decisions in Valdoria's history have been made."

My pulse quickened. I could feel the weight of what was coming. We turned a corner and saw them—a pair of oak doors carved with the royal crest. Two guards stood at attention on either side.

"Alpha Logan of Cliffwatch Pack," one of them announced. "And Luna Valencia."

Elias, Ryan, Bastian, and Thomas stood waiting by the entrance, their postures respectful but alert. They would remain outside during the council meeting, ready to be summoned if needed.

The doors swung open.

The Hall of Alphas was breathtaking. The circular chamber rose three stories high, with a domed ceiling painted to look like the night sky. Windows lined the upper walls, letting in natural light that illuminated the space. In the center was a large round table made of dark wood, polished to a mirror shine.

But what caught my attention were the people already seated around that table.

Alpha King Winston sat in the largest chair, though he looked nothing like the powerful ruler I'd imagined. He was gaunt and pale. He watched us enter with tired, knowing eyes.

To his right sat Elton. My blood ran cold at the sight of him. Those eyes fixed on us immediately, filling with hatred.

On Winston's left was Soren. His green eyes studied me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.

Luna Kestrel of Mistmarsh Pack sat across from Elton, her face drawn with exhaustion. Beside her was her Beta Grover, a stocky man with watchful eyes.

"Logan," Winston's weak voice filled the chamber. "Take your seats."

There were two empty chairs waiting for us. Logan walked confidently to them, and I followed, trying to keep my breathing steady.

As I sat down, I felt every eye in the room on me. Judging me. Evaluating me. Some with curiosity, others with suspicion, and Elton with pure malice.

"Now that we're all here," Winston began, "we can begin the council meeting. We have urgent matters to—"

A ceramic pot suddenly flew through the air, hurtling directly at Logan's head.

Time seemed to slow. I saw the pot spinning, saw Logan's hand move in a blur, drawing his sword. The blade cleaved the pot in two. Pieces of pottery scattered across the table, fragments tinkling as they hit the surface.

"Fuck you, you motherfucker!" Elton was on his feet, his face twisted with rage. "You murdered my Beta and now you parade into this council like you've done nothing wrong!"

His eyes shifted to me, and his expression turned even more vicious. "And you brought your slave cunt with you? What's the matter, Logan? Can't go anywhere without your pet whore to warm your bed?"

Heat flooded my cheeks, but Logan's hand found mine under the table, squeezing gently. A warning to stay calm.

"Elton," Soren's voice cut through the tension. "That's quite an entrance. Though I must say, your aim leaves something to be desired."

"Quiet, Soren," Elton snarled. "This doesn't concern you."

"On the contrary," Soren leaned back in his chair, a slight smile playing at his lips. "When one Alpha attacks another in the Hall of Alphas, it concerns all of us. Unless you've forgotten the rules of this chamber?"

Elton's face flushed darker, but he remained standing, his hands clenched into fists.

Winston raised one hand. "Enough. Both of you, sit down."

But his authority seemed diminished somehow. No one moved immediately. I realized with growing unease that the Alpha King had lost his grip on power. These Alphas no longer feared him.

It was Soren who finally defused the situation, rising smoothly from his chair. "Gentlemen, perhaps we should all take a breath and remember why we're here. We have far more pressing matters than personal grievances."

"Like what?" Elton demanded. "Like the fact that Logan killed my Beta? Like the fact that he violated pack law by taking Marcus's funeral offering?"

I felt Logan's muscles tense beside me, but he kept his voice level. "Your Beta attacked me on my territory without warning or announcement. Pack law gives me every right to defend myself and my pack."

"Liar!" Elton slammed his fist on the table. "Zephyr was bringing reinforcements to help you against Aldermere!"

"Reinforcements I never requested," Logan countered coldly. "Reinforcements that came with no messenger, no advance warning. Your Beta crossed into my territory with armed warriors and killed my men. What would you have done in my place, Elton?"

Luna Kestrel spoke up for the first time. "This is getting us nowhere. Perhaps we should address the real reason we're all here."

Winston nodded weakly. "Soren, your Beta Yves. Please report what you witnessed."

Yves, the young man standing behind Soren, stepped forward. His voice was steady despite the tension in the room. "Ten days ago, Alpha Soren was leading a supply convoy to assist Alpha Logan's pack. I was sent ahead as part of the advance scouting party. From the mountain ridge, I witnessed it—a massive red dragon, larger than any creature I've ever seen. It flew from the direction of Alpha Logan's castle toward Elton's army position."

My heart stopped. My hands gripped the edge of the table so hard my knuckles turned white.

"The dragon attacked Elton's forces," Yves continued. "I watched from a distance as it breathed fire across their ranks. Hundreds of warriors were killed in minutes. Then the dragon flew south and disappeared into the mountains."

Complete silence fell over the chamber. Every eye turned to Logan.

"Is this true?" Winston asked quietly. "Was there a dragon at Cliffwatch?"

Logan met his father's gaze steadily. "Yes. A dragon appeared during the battle."

Elton's eyes widened with something between shock and triumph. "You admit it! You admit you control a dragon!"

"I admit nothing of the sort," Logan said calmly. "The dragon appeared, yes. But I don't control it. I don't command it. I have no idea where it came from or where it went."

"Convenient," Elton sneered. "A dragon just happens to appear and save you at the exact moment you need it most?"

"If I could control a dragon," Logan replied, his voice dangerously soft, "do you really think I would have let your army get anywhere near my pack? I would have turned them to ash long before they reached my walls."

Soren leaned forward, his eyes sharp with interest. "The real question is—where did this dragon come from? Dragons haven't been seen in Vyrmarch for over a century. We all know that only the Ogden family possessed the ability to shift into dragons."

My breath caught in my throat. Was he looking at me when he said that? I couldn't tell. I kept my eyes fixed on the table, trying to appear calm and uninterested.

"That's what we need to determine," Luna Kestrel said. "If someone has command of dragon power, it changes everything. The balance of power across the entire continent could shift."

"Unless," Soren said slowly, "the dragon isn't being commanded by anyone. What if it simply acted on its own? Animals defend their territory. Perhaps this dragon saw an army and responded instinctively."

"A dragon is not a common animal," Elton snapped. "The old legends say the Ogdens could shift between human and dragon form. If there's a dragon in Valdoria, it means there's an Ogden still alive."

"And if there is an Ogden alive, what does that mean for Ashwood's claim to their throne?" Luna Kestrel spoke. "And if the dragon is indeed an Ogden shifter, we must ask ourselves—how did Winston Ashwood manage to slaughter the entire Ogden family in the first place? They were dragon shifters. They should have been unstoppable."

Soren's expression grew thoughtful, almost troubled. "That's the question that's haunted us for decades. How does one defeat dragons?"

"Unless Ashwood himself possesses dragon power," Beta Grover said quietly. "What if he didn't just steal the Ogden throne—what if he stole their abilities as well?"

A chill ran through the room.

Winston shook his head weakly. "There are no records of Ashwood ever shifting into dragon form. If he had that power, he would have used it by now to cement his dominance."

"Or he's waiting for the right moment," Elton countered. "If war comes and Ashwood reveals dragon power of his own, what then? Do we have any chance of victory?"

"We don't know what weapons or methods Ashwood used against the Ogdens," Soren said carefully. "But if he could kill them once, he might be able to do it again."