But watching Stephanie weep for the man she’d thought she knew, surrounded by pack members offering what comfort they could, Nadine realized that some victories came at a cost that made celebration impossible.
It’s over,she said quietly, her hand finding Conall’s.
The words carried relief but also a hollow exhaustion.
Conall squeezed her fingers, and she felt the mate bond pulse with shared relief and lingering sorrow for what they’d all lost today.Through their connection, she could sense his own complex emotions—gratitude for the truth finally being revealed, grief for the pack’s loss, and protective anger at how close they’d come to destroying an innocent man.
Without warning, Stephanie pitched forward in her chair, Una barely catching her before she hit the floor.
Malcolm was beside them in seconds, supporting the older woman as her legs gave out completely.
Get Dr.Chen,he ordered, and Anders moved toward the door.
I’m all right,Stephanie whispered, but her face was chalk white and her hands shook like leaves.I just… Forty years.Forty years I shared a bed with a traitor.How could I not have known?
The devastation in her voice hit everyone in the room.This wasn’t just the loss of a mate—it was the shattering realization that the foundation of her entire adult life had been built on deception.
Because he loved you,Una said fiercely, helping support Stephanie as Malcolm gently lifted her back into her chair.Whatever else he did, however he was manipulated, he loved you.That part was real.
Nadine felt an unexpected kinship with Stephanie’s anguish.She understood what it meant to discover that someone you’d trusted completely had been living a lie, had been capable of betrayals that contradicted everything you thought you knew about them.
Dr.Chen arrived within minutes, immediately going to Stephanie’s side to check her vital signs.After a brief examination, he nodded to Malcolm.Shock and exhaustion, but nothing physically dangerous.She needs rest and time to process.
Take her home,Malcolm said gently.Una, Sarah, can you stay with her?
Of course,both women said simultaneously.
As the three women left the hall, Una and Sarah flanking Stephanie like protective guards, the remaining pack members sat in heavy silence.
We need to warn the other packs,Anders said finally.Some assets may not have been fully disabled.Others might be dealing with the psychological aftermath of sudden freedom from neural control.
Personal contact,Malcolm decided.This kind of news requires face-to-face delivery.
I’ll coordinate messaging teams,Quinton offered.
Nadine found herself studying Conall’s twin with new understanding, recognizing that his earlier suspicion had come from legitimate concern for pack security rather than simple jealousy.
He’d been protecting his brother, his community, his understanding of family—all reasonable motivations, even when they’d led to conflict.
Malcolm nodded.Take the Stardust Pack.They had more assets—both activated and nonactivated—than almost any other pack.Dylan Montoya will need detailed briefings about asset identification protocols.
Of course,Quinton replied, then surprised everyone by looking directly at Nadine.Your analysis of Chimera’s operational patterns—I’ll need copies for briefing materials.
The request was professional, practical.But underneath it carried acknowledgment that her intelligence had been crucial to preventing disaster, that her investigation had ultimately protected rather than threatened the people she’d come to care about.
Absolutely,she said, recognizing the public olive branch.I’ll prepare comprehensive briefing packets for all teams.
After everyone gets some rest,Larissa said firmly.It’s been a long night, and we could all use some downtime.
As the meeting dispersed, Nadine found herself alone with Conall in the gradually emptying hall.
Silence stretched between them, loaded with everything they’d left unspoken.
Larissa’s right.We should rest,he said quietly.
Should,she agreed but made no move to leave.
Instead, she found herself studying his face in the hall’s light.The strong line of his jaw, his dark eyes, the quiet strength that had anchored her through revelations shattering her understanding of everything she’d believed about the man who’d called himself her father.
