Chapter 135
LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
The scent of tension turned electric, and I could practically feel every set of eyes turning toward Maverick.
Maverick’s laugh was low, dark, and dripping with condescension.
“Oh, how adorable,” he sneered. “The human thinks she has a say in the affairs of this pack.” His voice rose, louder now, meant to humiliate. “Let me remind you, Teresa, you’re here because of him.” He jabbed a finger in my direction, and I could feel the venom in his gesture. “A blind Alpha with no sense of responsibility, and now his weak little mate wants to play leader p>
I tightened my grip on the edge of the table, the wood creaking under the force of my fingers. Ares roared in my head, his growl shaking my focus.
“He dares? Let me handle this, Lucian. He insults her, insults us—he’s begging for his throat to be ripped out p>
“Ares, stand down,” I commanded internally, my tone sharp. “He’s trying to bait us. I won’t let him win p>
But then Maverick made the mistake of laughing again, this time insulting Teresa directly. “You’re as useless as he is, human. Do yourself a favor and stay out of this before you embarrass yourself further p>
The room blurred into a cacophony of sharp inhales and hushed murmurs. My breath hitched as I opened my mouth to deliver the retort that was already burning my tongue—only to hear the sharp, unmistakable sound of a gunshot.
My heart slammed against my ribs. The hall erupted into chaos, shouts and gasps breaking the silence like shattered glass.
“Teresa!” I called, my voice cutting through the noise as I turned toward her.
“I’m fine,” she said coolly, though her tone held a sharp edge of adrenaline.
It took me a moment to realize she had fired the shot. The scent of gunpowder lingered in the air, mingling with the faint trace of Maverick’s blood.
Maverick’s grunt of pain was loud enough to pierce through the noise. “You shot me?” he gasped, the disbelief in his voice bordering on indignation.
Teresa’s voice was steady, fierce, and laced with venom. “Yes, I shot you. Consider it a warning p>
I turned my face toward her, my mind reeling. “Teresa, what the hell p>
She interrupted me, her voice steel. “No, Lucian. You don’t get to stop me from defending what’s mine. He insulted you, he insulted me, and I won’t stand for it p>
What’s hers? Did Teresa openly just call me hers?! Oh my goddess was I dreaming!
The room fell silent again, the tension so thick it was suffocating but my mind was still having an explosion moment. Teresa called me hers, in front of everyone!
Maverick groaned, and I could hear him shifting his weight. “You think this makes you strong, human? Shooting someone like a coward p>
“You’re still talking,” Teresa shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “So clearly, I aimed too low p>
A laugh bubbled up in my chest before I could stop it. It was absurd, completely insane, but there was something so hot about her sharp wit and unyielding defiance.
“I wouldn’t push her, Maverick,” I said, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Clearly, she has better aim than you have sense p>
The pack members murmured among themselves, their shock shifting into something closer to awe. Teresa had done what most of them wouldn’t dare—she had stood up to Maverick in a way that left no room for doubt about her strength.
Maverick’s voice was strained, the pain evident, but his arrogance clung to him like a second skin. “You think you’ve won, Lucian?” he spat, his tone sharp, defiant. “This isn’t over. Your weakness will be the ruin of this pack p>
I felt Ares stir in my mind, a low growl building, demanding I tear Maverick apart. But before I could speak—or let the wolf within me take control—Teresa moved.
Her heels struck the marble floor with deliberate precision, each step echoing in the heavy silence of the room. The air around her seemed to crackle with intensity, her presence commanding the attention of everyone in the hall. She stopped a few feet from Maverick, her posture unwavering.
“I dare you, say one more word,” she said, her voice low, a dangerous edge lacing her words, “and the next bullet won’t be a warning p>
The weight of her threat settled over the room, and for a moment, it felt like even the air itself was holding its breath. Every pair of eyes in the room was fixed on Teresa, their expressions were probably that of awe and disbelief.
I stood frozen, my chest tightening as pride swelled within me. She wasn’t just standing up to Maverick—she was standing up for me, for us, for everything this pack was meant to represent.
Slowly, deliberately, I reached out, my fingers finding hers with practiced ease. Her hand was warm, steady, grounding me amidst the chaos swirling in my mind. I squeezed her hand gently. “You didn’t have to do that,” I murmured, my voice so low it was meant for her ears alone.
Her grip tightened, firm and resolute. “Yes, I did,” she whispered back, her tone leaving no room for argument. “You’ve spent too long fighting to be stronger for them. I’m not gonna let men like him question your strength. Not on my watch p>
Goddess, when did my mate become so hot?
Ares, shockingly silent, let out a soft rumble in my mind—a sound I couldn’t mistake for anything but approval.
Maverick groaned as he staggered to his feet, blood seeping from the graze on his shoulder. His bravado was still there, but it was dulled now, tinged with unease. “This isn’t the end,” he growled, though his steps faltered as he turned toward the exit.
The sound of the door slamming shut behind him was a relief, though it didn’t completely dispel the lingering tension in the room.
I turned to the pack, my senses keenly aware of the unspoken questions and unease that hung in the air like a heavy fog. Taking a deep breath, I forced a calmness into my voice. “Well,” I said, letting a small, sharp grin tug at the corners of my lips, “I think it’s safe to say the meeting is officially adjourned p>
There was a ripple of subdued murmurs, but no one dared voice a protest. Slowly, the pack began filing out, their movements cautious and uncertain, the gravity of what they’d witnessed still sinking in.
As they began to file out of the hall, I felt Teresa’s presence close behind me. Her hand brushed my arm as she leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. “You owe me a massage for this,” she said, her tone light, but the underlying trembling of her voice and body remained.
I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped, rich and genuine. “Anything for you, my fierce Luna p>
She stepped back, her presence a steadying force, and I allowed myself a moment to marvel at her strength. Teresa wasn’t just my mate—she was my equal, my shield, my fire in the dark. And in that moment, as the door clicked shut behind us, I knew this pack had never seen a Luna like her.