Adrein.

The moment Damien spouted his idea, something shifted in the room.

For the first time in days, the suffocating tension eased, replaced by a flicker of hope. My face lit up almost instantly, excitement sparking through me as the plan settled in my mind. It was bold... risky even...but it was something and right now, that was all we needed.

Finally, a way forward.

"Nice one, Damien," Aidan said, his voice calmer than it had been before.

The tightness in his expression loosened slightly, and for a brief moment, he looked almost relieved.

I couldn’t wait.

I could already see it playing out in my head, the execution, the outcome, the possibility of getting Maria back where she belonged.

But just as that anticipation began to build...

A knock came at the door sharp and pecise. The sound cut through the room, dragging all of us out of our thoughts.

"Come in," Aidan said, his tone returning to its usual authority.

The door creaked open, and an omega stepped in quietly, his head slightly lowered in respect.

"Alphas," he began, his voice careful, "the Alpha of FrostMoon Pack requests an audience."

I rolled my eyes instantly.

Of course.

Darren.

What the hell did he want now?

"Let him in," Aidan ordered without hesitation.

The omega bowed slightly before stepping aside, holding the door open. Moments later, Darren walked in, his presence filling the room with a different kind of tension.

He didn’t bow, nor did he at least show any form of respect. Though he was an Alpha, he was still in our territory.

Darren just stood there, staring at us without saying a word.

"Speak," Davian said bluntly, wasting no time.

Darren’s gaze swept across all of us before he spoke, his voice firm and unwavering.

"I want you to release Patricia. I’m taking her back with me to my pack."

The room fell silent for a brief second.

"And what makes you think I would release my prisoner?" Aidan asked, one brow raised slightly, his tone calm but edged with warning.

"She hurt our mate, Darren," Damien added, his voice laced with anger.

Darren didn’t flinch.

"She is also my mate, Damien. I’m well aware of that," he replied steadily. He paused for a moment, his jaw tightening before continuing. "I’m not asking you to release her so she can walk free. I will punish her myself when I get back."

I scoffed, leaning back slightly in my seat.

"And how exactly are we supposed to trust that?" I said, my tone dripping with skepticism. "Because from what I remember... she’s pregnant. And she still holds the title of your Luna."

The moment the words left my mouth, Darren’s expression darkened, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, the tension in his body becoming obvious.

"Since you are aware of that," he said slowly, his voice rising just a fraction, "then I assume you’re not planning to keep the heir of my pack hostage."

I froze.

That wasn’t what I meant, not at all but with the way he said it...It felt like a threat. A subtle one, but clear enough.

My gaze locked with his, my thoughts racing.

Was he twisting my words on purpose?

Or was this his way of testing us?

Because right now... it felt less like a request, and more like the beginning of something much bigger.

"The peace treaty that brought me here..." Darren began, his voice steady, deliberate. He paused for a brief moment, as though weighing his words carefully before continuing. "I will treat this case as one."

The room went quiet again, every single one of us watching him closely.

"I take my heir and its mother back in one piece..." he continued, turning slowly, his gaze passing over each of us one after the other. There was something in his eyes, something firm, unyielding. "...then once the child is born, I will hand your prisoner back to you."

His words settled in the air, heavy but clear and for a moment, no one spoke, then, slowly, a small smile crept onto my lips.

It was fair.

More than fair, actually.

At least this way, Maria would still get her chance. Patricia wouldn’t escape what she had done, not truly. And when the time came, Maria would be the one to decide her fate.

"Alright then..." Aidan said, rising to his feet, his expression finally easing. "Well said."

His tone carried approval, and just like that, the atmosphere shifted slightly.

But Davian wasn’t done.

He stood up as well, his chair scraping lightly against the floor as he straightened.

"But we need you to do something, Alpha Darren," he said, his voice firm as he faced him directly. "I feel like Maria might still be in danger. So you need to help us get the truth from Patricia...now."

His words brought back the urgency we had almost forgotten.

The reason for all this.

The unanswered questions.

Darren’s lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"That would be easy, Alpha Davian," he replied calmly. There was a certain confidence in his tone, almost unsettling. "I would also love to eliminate all future threats for Maria."

At that, something in the room aligned.

An unspoken agreement.

A shared purpose.

Damien and I stood up at the same time, almost instinctively, nodding our heads in silent understanding.

There was no need for further discussion.

We all wanted the same thing now.

"I guess we all head to the dungeon," I said, unable to hide the eagerness in my voice.

Because this...this was what we had been waiting for.

The truth.

Whoever was behind everything Patricia had done to Maria, whoever had orchestrated all of it, was about to be exposed.

And when that happened...they wouldn’t get away with it, not this time.

Without another word, we began moving.

One after the other, we stepped out of the room, our footsteps echoing faintly through the corridor as we headed in the same direction.

The dungeon.

Where everything would finally come to light.