Chapter 83 The breaking point 2

Chapter 83: Chapter 83 The breaking point 2

Talia’s POV

I held up my hand. "I am fine. Stay back."

He hesitated for a moment, as his eyes swept over the room again. Then he nodded and stepped back, but he did not leave.

I saw the tension in his shoulders, with the way his hand hovered over his weapon. He wanted to step between us, and to shield me from Alpha Stone’s rage.

But thankfully he trusted me, and he stayed.

"Are you done?" I asked Alpha Stone.

Alpha Stone watched Kaelen, then he looked back at me. "He is protective of you," he said.

"Because he is my mate," I replied.

"Does he even love you?" Alpha Stone asked mockingly.

I did not answer.

Alpha Stone’s eyes narrowed. "You do not know."

"That is not why I am here," I said firmly.

Alpha Stone’s expression changed. "Then why are you here?" He was breathing hard now, his chest heaving, and his hands were shaking. He looked at Kaelen, then at me.

"You brought your Alpha to intimidate me," he said.

"I brought him to protect me," I said. "There is a difference."

He burst out laughing, and the sound was like that of a broken toy.

"Do you accept the offers?" I asked.

"No. I do not, and I will never," he answered coldly.

I looked at Alpha Stone, and all the frustration that had gathered in my chest rose to the surface.

Through all the hours of negotiation, the constant rejection, the insults, and the accusations, I had been patient, I had been calm, and I had listened to his pain and acknowledged his suffering.

But I was tired.

I stepped closer to him. Close enough that I could see the veins in his neck, the sweat on his brow, and the fire in his eyes.

The guards shifted all around me, with their hands tightening on their weapons. I could only imagine Kaelen looking tense, and ready to move behind me.

But I did not stop.

I stopped when I was close enough to touch his throne, close enough to see the cracks in the wood and the dust on the bones.

"You have spent years blaming Shadowfang for your pack’s suffering," I said. "And maybe you are right. Maybe they are to blame. But blaming them will not bring back the wolves you have lost."

His jaw tightened.

"Hating us will not fill your storehouses, refusing our help will not heal your sick, and dying with your pride intact will not save your children," I continued.

"You know nothing about my children," he growled.

"I know they are hungry," I said confidently. "I know they are scared, and I know they look at you and wonder if you will let them starve because you are too proud to accept help."

"You think I do not know pain?" I continued. My voice was calm, but there was steel beneath it. "You think I do not know loss?"

My voice cracked, just a little, and I hoped he did not notice. I thought about my mother’s face, and the way it faded from my memory more each day. I thought about the fire, the heat, the smoke from that incident, and the way she looked at me before she turned away.

I would never forget that look, NEVER.

I thought about the fifteen years I spent locked in a storage room, starving and cold and alone.

"You are not the only one who has suffered," I said. "You are not the only one who has lost people you love. But you are the only one standing in the way of your pack’s survival."

His jaw tightened. "How dare you..."

"I dare because someone has to." I held his gaze. "Your pack is dying, Alpha Stone. Not because of Shadowfang, not because of the raids, and not because of the past. Your pack is dying because you would rather hold on to your anger than accept help."

The words hung in the air, heavy, and final.

I had never spoken to anyone like this before. Not to Vivienne, not to Celeste, and not to anyone.

But I was tired.

I was really tired of being quiet, tired of being careful, and tired of watching wolves die because no one had the courage to speak the truth. But today, I would speak.

The guards stood frozen, with their eyes fixed on Alpha Stone. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Kaelen’s hand was still on his weapon, but he did not draw it.

Alpha Stone stared at me. His chest was still heaving, and his hands were still shaking. But the anger in his eyes was fading, replaced by something I could not name.

"You are bold," he said. "Too bold for your own good."

"Boldness is the only thing that has kept me alive," I said sharply.

And then, the room went dead silent.

No one moved, and it was almost like no one breathed, and even the fire seemed to pause. I stood there, looking at Alpha Stone. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure everyone could hear it. But I did not look away. I had said what I came to say.

Now it was his turn, and I just had to wait.