Stephanie’s face went white as snow.
The second file played—Raymond coordinating with Gregory about framing Robert, about using Una todiscoverevidence.Una gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she realized how close she’d come to being implicated.
By the third file—Raymond discussing his loyalty to Vincent’s ideology, his determination to undermine democratic leadership—Stephanie was openly weeping.
That’s enough,Malcolm said quietly.Stephanie, I’m sorry you had to hear this.
Forty-three years,she whispered.Forty-three years of marriage, and I never knew.Never suspected.
The council chamber door opened.Raymond Gonzales entered with the casual confidence of someone who’d been summoned to many such meetings over the decades.
He took in the scene—the audio equipment, Stephanie’s tears, the grim faces of the pack leadership—and his expression shifted from confusion to understanding to cold resignation.
Well,he said, settling into his usual chair as if nothing had changed.I suppose you found Gregory’s insurance files.
Did you think we wouldn’t?Nadine asked, her voice cutting through the chamber’s tension.
I thought I had more time.Raymond’s voice carried no remorse, only the pragmatic disappointment of a plan discovered too soon.Time to complete the work Gregory and I started.
Work?Malcolm’s growl rumbled through the room.You call betraying your packwork?
I call preserving shifter survivalwork.Raymond straightened, his voice gaining strength as he fell back on practiced justifications.Vincent understood what real leadership required.Strength.Discipline.The willingness to make hard choices for the greater good.
Vincent was a tyrant who tortured pack members,Larissa snapped.
Vincent kept us safe!Raymond’s composure cracked, revealing the fanatical belief underneath.Under his leadership, we were strong.Unified.Ready to face real threats.Under your ‘democratic’ experiment, we’ve become weak, divided, vulnerable to every human authority that decides we’re too dangerous to tolerate.
The chamber erupted in angry voices, but Raymond continued over them.
Gregory showed me intelligence reports from human military contractors.They’re developing weapons specifically designed to kill shifters.Building containment facilities.Planning systematic elimination of pack territories.His voice rose with desperate conviction.Your alliance building, your cooperation experiments—all of it just makes us easier targets when they decide to act.
So you decided to destroy us from the inside?Conall’s voice cut through the noise with deadly quiet.
I decided to save what could be saved.Gregory’s network would have preserved the strongest packs, eliminated the weak leadership that was making us all vulnerable.Raymond turned to faceStephanie, his expression softening for the first time.Everything I did was to protect our people.To protect you.
Stephanie’s sob tore through the chamber.You’ve destroyed everything we built together.Everything I believed about the man I married.
The sound of her heartbreak seemed to finally break through Raymond’s ideological certainty.For a moment, his face crumpled with genuine anguish.
Stephanie—
Don’t.She stood on shaking legs.Don’t you dare speak my name.The man I loved would never have betrayed his family.Never would have worked to hurt innocent people.
I was trying to save us all,Raymond said, but his voice had lost its conviction.
You were trying to play God,Malcolm said.And now you’re going to face the consequences.
Raymond’s expression hardened again, the fanatical certainty returning.You think banishment scares me?I have resources, contacts.The Prometheus Group was larger than just Gregory’s operation.Others will continue the work.
He stood abruptly, his chair clattering backward.You’ve won this battle, but the war is far from over.And when human authorities come for you with military weapons and containment protocols, remember that I tried to prepare you for what’s coming.
Raymond moved toward the door with the swift purpose of someone making an escape attempt.
But Quinton was faster.
Conall’s twin intercepted Raymond before he could reach the exit, one hand closing around the older man’s shoulder with enough force to stop him cold.
Sit down,Quinton said quietly.You’re not going anywhere.
