The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 149

Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine

“I thank you for this gift, Luna Queen Diana.”

Damon voice carried through the hall like a death sentence.

“And I, as the Rogue King…”

He slowly placed one hand over his chest.

“…invoke my right as a mate.”

He looked toward the Elder Council.

“My wolf and I demand justice.” A pause. “We demand the right to avenge the attack on our mate.”

Cerberus stirred beneath his skin.

The massive wolfs aura rolled across the hall like a coming storm. Every wolf present instinctively lowered their gaze. Even the Stone Claw warriors struggled to remain standing. Damon never looked away from Rafe.

“And I am telling you now…”

His voice dropped lower.

“…I will enjoy every second I spend with you.”

Rafe’s breathing quickened.

“You can scream.”

A faint smile crossed Damon’s lips.

“It will sound like music to my ears.”

Cerberus’s growl echoed faintly beneath Damon’s words.

“My wolf wants to peel your skin from your bones.”

He spoke so casually that it chilled everyone listening.

“You can try to run. You can beg. You can cry.”

His smile widened slightly.

“But Cerberus has never lost his prey. He enjoys the hunt. And this time… He intends to play.”

A dangerous pause followed.

“We will make certain… that every ounce of pain… every breath of terror… every moment of helplessness… You experience… is one hundred times greater than what our mate suffered because of you.”

The room remained completely still.

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Damon took one final step toward Rafe.

‘And when you think you’ve finally suffered enough…”

He leaned forward-slightly.

‘We still won’t kill you.”

His smile disappeared.

‘Because death would be mercy. We want you alive. So you can experience it again. And again. And again.”

The promise in his voice wasn’t exaggerated. It wasn’t emotional. It was certainty. That certainty frightened everyone far more than shouting ever could. Even several allied Alphas found themselves swallowing uneasily.

If this was the Rogue King’s wrath… None of them ever wanted to become its target.

On the floor, Rafe had gone completely pale. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. He knew. The Rogue King wasn’t bluffing. Every word Damon had spoken… He meant. For the first time since everything had begun… Real fear settled inside Rafe.

Not fear of Talon. Not fear of Diana. Fear of Damon.

He had spent years believing Rogues were nothing more than rejected wolves. He had underestimated the wolf standing before him.

And now… He was going to pay for it.

“No…”

Rafe whispered. Then louder.

“No!”

His eyes darted wildly around the room. Searching. Thinking. Planning. There had to be something. Anything he can use to excape this.

Then… His gaze landed on Vanessa. Hope sparked.

“Vanessa is my mate!”

He shouted. Everyone looked toward him.

“Whatever you do to me…”

He looked desperately at Damon.

“…she’ll feel it too!”

His voice became stronger.

“You all talk about protecting mates!”

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He looked toward the Elders.

“How is that justice? If you allow the Rogue King to torture mo… My mate suffers too!”

He smiled weakly. Trying to sound victorious.

“Do you really think that’s fair?”

Clam

Silence answered him. The Elders looked at one another. Several Alphas frowned. Because… As twisted as Rafe was… His statement contained truth. A mated pair shared pain. If Damon carried out his revenge… Vanessa would inevitably feel much of it through the mate bond. Elder Mirela sighed quietly.

“It is…”

She admitted.

“…a matter we must consider.”

Rafe immediately smiled. Good. They’re hesitating. He just need more time. Just enough time. There has to be a way out.

Then- Diana laughed softly. Not loudly. Just enough to make everyone turn toward her. She slowly shook

her head.

“Is that truly the only argument you have left?”

Her eyes rested on Rafe.

“To hide behind another woman.”

The smile disappeared from her face.

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“You’ve spent this entire time blaming others. You blamed Hazel. You blamed Luna commands. You blamed your mate bond. And now…”

She folded her arms.

“You’re using Vanessa,”

Rafe glared at her.

“I’m protecting my mate!”

“No.”

Diana answered immediately.

“You’re protecting yourself.”

Those words struck harder than any claw. She turned away from him. Instead… She looked at Vanessa.

“Vanessa.”

The woman slowly lifted tear-filled eyes.

“I want you to answer honestly.”

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Chapter Ogeeftmiked Forty Nine

Diana’s voice became gentle.

“No one will answer for you. No one will force you. This decision belongs entirely to you.”

Vanessa nodded weakly.

“If the Alpha King…”

Diana continued.

“…and the Elder Council approve Damon’s request… and the Rogue King carries out his revenge… You understand that remaining mated to Rafe means you’ll feel much of his pain.”

Vanessa closed her eyes. A tear escaped.

“You also understand…”

Diana said softly.

“…that if you choose to remain his mate… you cannot later demand revenge for what happens to him.”

She paused.

“Because staying would be your choice.”

The room waited. No one interrupted. No one breathed. Vanessa slowly looked toward Rafe.

The wolf who had promised her Talon. The wolf who had promised her happiness. The wolf who had promised everything she hope and prayed for.

Instead… Her parents were dead. Her pack was collapsing. She had become a fool before every Alpha. Her eyes filled with fresh tears. Slowly… She shook her head.

allied

“No.”

Her voice barely carried. Then she looked directly at the Elder Council.

“I want to reject him.”

The words echoed through the hall.

“I wanted to reject him from the very beginning.”

Her shoulders trembled.

“He forced this bond onto my life.”

She wiped away another tear.

“If I had rejected him that day…”

Her voice cracked.

“…maybe my parents would still be alive.”

The silence became overwhelming. Rafe stared at her in disbelief. Then rage consumed him.

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“You bitch!”

He struggled violently against the guards restraining him.

“Useless bitch!”

His eyes blazed with fury.

“How dare you! You agreed to reject me?”

His face twisted into something almost feral.

“I am your mate! You belong to me! You do what I tell you! You have no right to reject me!”

His voice echoed wildly throughout the hall. Vanessa recoiled as though struck.

Then- Diana stepped between them. Her expression had become frighteningly cold.

“That…”

She said quietly.

“…is where you’re wrong.”