Chapter 199: Fanning the flames

"What could have possibly happened to make you agree to meet with me?" Hugo broke the tense silence, his voice a dry rasp.

A single dim bulb hung in the center of the visitation cell, casting harsh shadows across the two males facing each other. Magnus studied his uncle, who had aged dramatically over the past five and a half years. Deep wrinkles had thoroughly carved into the old man’s skin, though it hardly surprised Magnus given that Hugo was well past seventy. Time, combined with the crushing grief of his own unforgivable sins, had left deep scars on his face.

"I decided to grant you one final chance at redemption," Magnus said, leaning heavily against the rigid back of his chair, still weighing the wisdom of his decision.

"Is that so? How magnanimous of you," Hugo murmured dryly. "Only five years have passed. Does this mean you’ll finally let me see my grandson?" A flicker of poorly disguised hope gleamed in the old man’s faded eyes. Magnus made a mental note of it; his uncle used to exert far greater control over his emotions, but old age really did make even alpha wolves fragile.

"If you live long enough, you’ll get to see your granddaughter, too," Magnus said with a faint, dark smirk, rubbing his wrists where the steel handcuffs had chafed his skin. Deep down, he prayed he would be the first to hold his baby girl.

Jane had told him the news. She had come to the visitation room yesterday and announced through the glass that while they hadn’t gone to the hospital, Alan had determined the baby’s sex through a specialized blood test. Magnus had been caught off guard until he recalled approving a massive research grant for the doctor a couple of years ago. Clearly, the investment had paid off.

His little bird, agitated by the latest turmoil, had trembled behind the glass again. She had no idea how excruciating it was for him to keep his wolf under control in her presence. He had craved nothing more than to pull her close, soothe her fears, inhale her scent, kiss her, and feel her warm belly beneath his palm. But that damnable barrier stood between them. Look, but do not touch.

Bastards.

The authorities had slapped a strict ban on contact visits in this cell. He could meet anyone face-to-face, yet meetings with his mate were restricted to thick, bulletproof glass. They even scrubbed the room with harsh chemical disinfectants beforehand, leaving not a trace of her intoxicating scent behind—all to keep his wolf from snapping its leash. As if he’d fall for their little games.

Magnus knew this was all deliberate. Once his pack realized the sheer scale of the plot orchestrated against them, they began hunting for traps behind every move. Magnus had already deduced his enemies’ ultimate objective, and that conclusion was the most horrifying thought rattling inside his fraying mind. His restraint was tearing at the seams, threatening to shatter his mental barriers and lay waste to this holding facility.

He couldn’t.

He repeated the mantra to himself over and over, grinding his teeth until he thought they would shatter into dust. Everything had to be legally bulletproof. Everything had to guarantee absolute safety for his family—for their future. He had asked Jane to protect their future, and he was bound to do the same. Mutual effort.

He simply couldn’t afford to yield to his primal instincts. His beast was screaming at him to break free, slaughter every opponent with his bare hands, and force every rival into submission.

Doing so, however, meant plunging Jane into danger once more, carving a path paved with bones and drenched in blood. No.

He wanted a bright, fearless future for his mate and their children. That meant keeping the monster chained inside him, no matter how brutal the strain.

"You certainly haven’t wasted any time. Good work," Hugo grunted, resting his heavy, weathered hands on the table. "Now tell me—what could you possibly need from an old man stripped of his influence and assets?"

"Don’t play humble with me. I know you’re fully aware of the pack alliance I now lead," Magnus drawled, his eyes locking onto his uncle’s.

"And how could I not be? Everyone knows," the old man replied, shrugging his shoulders with a trace of hidden pride in his nephew.

Looking at the lethal Alpha seated across from him, Hugo realized with a sudden pang how strikingly Magnus resembled Rose. His younger sister had been an unexpected blessing to the family when no one anticipated another child.

Hugo had been twenty-two, taking over leadership of the pack from their father, when she was born. He had sworn to their parents that he would protect her. And he had failed. Later, he swore to Rose that he would guard her son. He had failed that oath as well. How Magnus could place even a shred of faith in him after a pathetic legacy of broken promises and downfall was something the old man could not fathom.

"The alliance must be led by a family member in my absence. We can’t wait any longer—I’ve been away for far too long," Magnus spat venomously. He had every right to be furious: the enemy had proven far more cunning, wielding vastly more power in his grasping hands.

"You want me to step in as interim leader while you’re locked up?" An unexpectedly patronizing smirk carved through the old man’s weathered face, a cunning glint dancing in his faded eyes.

"Yes."

"It won’t work, I’m afraid," Hugo cut him off, shaking his gray head.

"Why the hell not? Are you refusing to take responsibility?" Though Magnus’s tone remained deceptively level, the sheer irritation radiating off him was almost palpable.

"No, it’s simply that the alliance can’t have two acting heads running the show," the old man shrugged, his gaze locking onto his nephew’s sharp features, where pure, unadulterated rage was beginning to take hold.

"Who?" Magnus growled impatiently, his knuckles cracking as his fists clenched tight.

"Jane Pharean convened the pack council this morning."

Astonishment mixed with total disbelief flashed across Magnus’s face. His mate? Why hadn’t she breathed a single word to him yesterday? A searing acid wave of anxiety instantly torched his insides. That council was comprised of the wildest, most lethal Alphas in the city—wolves who possessed not a single drop of leniency. And his gentle girl had walked straight into that den.

"And...?" Magnus whispered with bone-dry lips, staring right through the old man into the void.

That stubborn little plague. He was going to rip Sayan’s head off with his bare hands. He clearly had no use for him anymore. He had begged the man to watch her—never to take his eyes off her, to guard her at the cost of his own life. And Hugo was no better. If he knew beforehand, why didn’t he stop her?!

"And she forced through her right to act as your hand," the elder male concluded with a smirk, openly relishing the shock written across his nephew’s face. After all, he felt entitled to this petty revenge—Magnus had ignored him for over five years and flattened his estate to the ground.

"What...?"

"You heard me. Your Luna is currently pouring every ounce of her energy into dragging you out of prison. And according to my intel, an Alpha pissed her off beyond measure last night. That’s what drove her to call the council and ruthlessly demand her voting rights. I won’t say everyone was thrilled, but many recognized her authority. As for the rest... they simply respect you too much to dare cross your pregnant mate when she’s thirsty to tear the city leader apart with her bare hands."

"Do we have intel on what exactly set her off that badly?" Magnus demanded, his posture rigid as he fought to piece the puzzle together. No matter how he tried, the edges wouldn’t align.

"Oh, yes. But you have to promise to keep your composure."

"Speak."

"The new city leader offered to make her his concubine and take her North in exchange for your freedom," Hugo revealed, watching as the thick glass pane of the visitation cell shattered into a spiderweb of cracks before crashing to the floor with a loud ring, admitting the biting outdoor air and swirling snowflakes.

"I will annihilate that scum," Magnus roared, tearing himself from his seat.

Deep down, the old man knew feeding him this information was dangerous. But his long years commanding the pack had taught him one absolute truth: rage was the ultimate catalyst for war and dominance. So he laid it all out for his nephew, fanning the flames within him to ensure they would consume their enemies entirely.