Chapter 280: Chapter 281 Changing Lives
THIRD PERSON’S POV
The morning at Stone Manor began like any other.
The servants moved quietly through the huge estate. The guards were patrolling the grounds. The scent of freshly brewed coffee moved through the halls.
Everything appeared normal but beneath everything, trouble was already approaching.
A black luxury sedan rolled through the gates shortly after nine o’clock.
The guards straightened when they saw the emblem attached to the vehicle.
It wasn’t the symbol of any Alpha family. It was older and more powerful. It was feared by everyone who knew the meaning behind it.
The symbol belonged to the Lycan High Council - the governing authority above all Alpha families. It was the organization that rarely interfered in royal families unless something had gone terribly wrong.
The guards exchanged nervous looks as the vehicle came to a stop. They knew they had no right to stop them.
Moments later, an elderly man stepped out. His silver hair was neatly combed back. His expensive dark suit fit him perfectly.
Even though he appeared to be in his seventies, there was a huge wave of power surrounding him. It was the kind of power that came from decades of authority.
His name was Elder Caine. He hadn’t come for a social visit.
He was the same man who approached Declan inside the café.
Inside the manor, Grandpa George sat beside the large window in his private sitting room. His health hadn’t been the same lately.
Now, everything was out in the open. Since Sophia decided to stay away from them, George was informed about the ongoing divorce proceedings between her and Damien.
The stress surrounding Damien’s divorce and the endless conflicts within the family had taken their toll on him. He was beyond exhausted.
Dahlia sat nearby reading reports from the company.
The room was peaceful. At least, it was until a servant entered.
The servant looked nervous.
She bowed her heads at both of them respectfully.
"Master George." She said.
George looked up "Yes?"
The servant swallowed "There is a visitor from the Lycan High Council."
The color immediately drained from George’s face. Dahlia slowly lowered her documents. She looked shocked.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
George’s hands tightened around his walking cane.
"The Council?" he repeated.
The servant nodded "Yes, sir."
George stood immediately. His expression had changed completely. Even Dahlia looked surprised by his reaction.
Grandpa George wasn’t a man who got scared easily yet now he looked genuinely alarmed.
"Show him in immediately." He ordered.
A few moments later, Elder Caine entered the room.
The atmosphere changed the instant he stepped inside.
His calm eyes moved across the room before settling on George.
Neither man smiled. Neither man offered casual greetings.
This wasn’t that kind of meeting. For Caine to be here, it meant something serious had happened.
"Elder Caine." George said, bowing his head respectfully.
Caine bowed his head too as he spoke "George."
Dahlia watched silently. She knew something was wrong. She just didn’t know what.
Elder Caine sat down. His expression remained calm but there was something cold under that calmness.
George cleared his throat "To what do I owe this visit?"
Elder Caine looked at him "The Lycan High Council has opened a formal inquiry into the Stone bloodline."
The words hit George hard.
George’s face instantly turned pale. Dahlia froze.
For several seconds, nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
George stared at him in disbelief "A formal inquiry?"
Elder Caine nodded "Yes."
George’s hand tightened around his cane.
"Why?"
Elder Caine’s expression didn’t change.
"Because the Council has been monitoring the situation involving Alpha Damien Stone and his bonded Luna."
The room became deathly silent.
George’s eyes widened. Dahlia looked at the floor.
Unlike her grandfather... she already knew. She’d known exactly how badly Sophia had been suffering.
Elder Caine continued speaking "Alpha Damien Stone has remained publicly involved with another woman despite maintaining a legal bond with his Luna."
George visibly flinched.
The Council elder continued "The Council has also received reports that the bonded Luna has suffered repeated harassment and harm from members of the Stone family."
George looked stunned "What?"
Elder Caine reached into his briefcase. He placed a file on the table. The file was filled with thick stack of documents
George slowly opened it with shaking hands. As he went through it, his face lost more color.
The files showed medical records, photographs, witness statements and even security reports. Everything was there.
It contained every detail, every injury, every incident.
George’s hands began shaking "No..."
His voice barely came out.
"No." he whispered.
He had no idea that this was going on.
Dahlia closed her eyes. She already knew what he was seeing - the photographs from the hospital, Sophia’s bruises, the injuries. She knew Declan and her mom had attacked her.
George looked horrified.
"When did this happen?" he asked.
Elder Caine studied him carefully "You truly didn’t know?"
It wasn’t a question.
George looked sick "No, I didn’t. Nobody told me."
Dahlia remained silent.
George turned toward her and asked.
"Dahlia." His voice was filled with disbelief. "You knew?"
She looked at him "Yes."
The word hit him hard. He was even more shocked.
George stared at her in awe "You knew she was attacked?"
Dahlia nodded.
"And you said nothing?"
She felt guilty. Even though she didn’t do anything to Sophia directly, she was still at fault. She knew about it and did nothing. She was complicit.
George collapsed back into his chair. Suddenly, he looked much older.
The old Alpha who once commanded entire territories now looked like a man realizing his family had crumbled around him without him noticing.
Elder Caine reached into his briefcase again. This time he removed a formal document. The document had the seal of the High Council on it.
He placed it in front of George
"This is an official notice." He said.
George stared at it. His hands trembled.
Elder Caine’s voice became colder "The Stone Pack’s standing before the Council is now under review."
Dahlia’s stomach tightened.
Elder Caine continued "The assault carried out by Helen Stone and Declan Stone against the Alpha’s bonded Luna constitutes a direct violation of pack law."
George closed his eyes. Every word hit him hard.
But Elder Caine wasn’t finished.
"There is a second violation."
George looked up.
"Tiffany Stewart." Caine said.
The room became tense.
"A woman with no standing within the pack has been permitted to occupy territory, authority, and influence belonging to the bonded Luna." He continued.
George’s face went white.
The implication was devastating. Everyone knew exactly what that meant. For years, Tiffany had been treated as Damien’s future partner while Sophia had been pushed aside. Sophia had been humiliated and ignored.
Elder Caine leaned back "The Council considers this unacceptable."
George could barely speak.
"What happens now?" he asked quietly.
Elder Caine’s answer came immediately.
"Alpha Damien Stone has thirty days."
George swallowed "Thirty days for what?"
"To restore order."
Then the elder stood. The meeting was over.
Caine adjusted his suit jacket.
Before leaving, he looked directly at George and said "The Council is no longer watching quietly."
Then he walked away.
-
Several hours later.
Damien sat inside his office at Stone Corporation.
Stacks of documents covered his desk yet he had barely touched any of them.
His thoughts remained elsewhere, on Sophia, on the article and on everything that had gone wrong.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in." he said.
The door opened.
To his surprise, Wayne entered.
Damien immediately straightened.
Wayne was Grandpa George’s beta. The man had served his father for decades.
The old Beta rarely involved himself in family matters anymore. If he was here now, something serious had happened.
Wayne closed the door behind him.
His expression was serious
"Damien."
Damien frowned "What is it?"
Without speaking, Wayne placed a document on the desk.
Damien picked it up and looked at it. Then he froze.
For several seconds, absolute silence filled the room.
Wayne watched Damien as he continued reading.
The documents contained Council Inquiry.
It was filled with so many pack Violations – humiliation of a bonded Luna, failure of Leadership, a thirty-Day Notice.
His jaw tightened. His wolf stirred uneasily inside him.
For the first time in months, Damien felt something different from guilt.
Guilt could be ignored or suppressed.
This was different. This was consequence....real consequence. These were the consequences of every decision he had made.
His wolf became restless.
Wayne finally spoke "The Council doesn’t send notices unless they’re serious."
Damien remained silent.
Wayne continued "You need to understand what this means."
Damien stared at the document in awe.
He understood perfectly. This was no longer a private family matter.
The entire pack would pay for his mistakes.
Unknown to Wayne and Damien, they weren’t alone.
Outside the office door, someone had been passing by. Someone who stopped when she heard voices.
Tiffany.
At first, she’d intended to surprise Damien. Now she stood frozen as she listened to their conversation.
She heard only fragments but it was enough.
Tiffany’s heartbeat accelerated.
She had no idea such a high council existed in their world.
For the first time...she realized there were forces in this world she had never accounted for.
For years she had believed this was a simple battle but now she understood something terrifying. There were people above the Stones.
The game was becoming much bigger than she had ever imagined.
And somewhere in the shadows...the countdown had already begun.
Thirty days.
Only thirty days remained.
Nobody yet understood just how much their lives were about to change.
