Chapter 65

Asher pov 

There was a bit of murmur all over the room, as the elders began to talk to each other. I just stood there, staring at each of their faces.

"What is it now?" I asked, looking frustrated.

"My alpha, you are our alpha and we all respect and support you," one of the elders said, "but also, Sophia is our luna and a pregnant one at that. So, if this investigation would affect her in any way, we would be very honest with you, we wouldn't support you, because she is carrying the future of the pack."

From his words, I then understood that despite their agreement with me, Sophia was still having an effect on them. It was clear that her pregnancy had changed the dynamics, and the elders were now more cautious in their approach. Since that day, I had realized that Sophia's influence went deeper than I had initially thought.

I felt a surge of frustration and concern. I had not anticipated that Sophia's pregnancy would have this kind of impact on the elders. I had thought that they would be more objective, more willing to see the truth.

But now, it seemed that they were more concerned with protecting Sophia and the future of the pack than with uncovering the truth. I knew that I had to tread carefully, that I had to find a way to convince them that this investigation was necessary, without putting Sophia or the pack's future at risk.

"I understand your concerns," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. "But I assure you, this investigation is not about harming Sophia or the pack. It's about uncovering the truth, and making sure that justice is served."

The elders looked at each other, then back at me. I could see the skepticism in their eyes, and I knew that I had a long way to go to convince them.

"What do you propose we do, Alpha?" one of them asked.

I took a deep breath, thinking carefully, as I said. "I propose that we continue the investigation, but with caution. We will gather evidence, and speak to witnesses. And if we find that Sophia is indeed innocent, then we will apologize and make amends."

The elders nodded, seeming to consider my proposal. After a moment, one of them spoke up. "Very well, Alpha. We will allow the investigation to continue. But we warn you, if we find that you are acting unfairly or with bias, we will not hesitate to intervene."

I nodded, knowing that I had to be careful. I was walking a fine line, and one misstep could have serious consequences. But I was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

I left the meeting with the elders feeling a sense of relief and trepidation. I knew that I had a long and difficult road ahead of me, but I was determined to see it through.

As I walked back to my study room, I couldn't help but think about Sophia and her role in all of this. I had always known that she was cunning and manipulative, but I had never suspected that she was capable of something like this.

I arrived at my study room and sat down at my desk, trying to gather my thoughts. I knew that I needed to come up with a plan, to figure out my next move.

Just as I was starting to think, there was a knock at the door. It was one of my most trusted advisors, the older one, ever since my father was alpha.

"Alpha, I have some information that I think you should know," he said, his voice low and serious.

I nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"I've been doing some digging, and I think I've found something," he said. "It seems that Sophia has been in contact with someone from outside the pack. Someone who has been helping her with her plans."

My ears perked up at this. "Who is it?" I asked, my voice tight with anticipation.

My older adviser hesitated, as if unsure whether to reveal the information.

"Tell me," I said, my voice firm.

He took a deep breath. "It's an elder, vincent," he said. "He's been working with Sophia all along."

I felt a surge of anger and betrayal at the older advisor's words. Vincent, one of my most trusted elder, had been working with Sophia behind my back. It was a shocking revelation, and one that made me question everything.

"How did you find out?" I asked the old adviser, my voice tight with emotion.

"I've been watching elder vincent for a while now," my advisor said. "I noticed that he's been acting strangely, always sneaking off to meet with someone. I followed him one day, and I saw him meeting with Sophia. They were talking in hushed tones, but I could tell that they were planning something."

I nodded, my mind racing with thoughts of what vincent and Sophia could be planning. I knew that I had to confront vincent, to find out what he knew and what he had been involved in.

"Thank you, sir," I said, my voice sincere. "You've done a great job of uncovering this information. I'll take care of vincent from here."

He nodded, a look of determination on his face. "I'm glad I could help, Alpha. We'll get to the bottom of this, together."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards the old advisor. He was a loyal and trusted member of the pack, and I knew that I could count on him to help me navigate this difficult situation.

I stood up, my mind made up. I was going to confront vincent, and I was going to get to the bottom of this betrayal.

I walked to Vincent's office, my heart pounding with anticipation. I could feel my anger and frustration building up, and I knew I had to keep it under control.

As I entered Vincent's office, I saw him sitting at his desk, a look of calmness on his face. But as soon as he saw me, his expression changed, and he looked nervous.

"Alpha," he said, standing up. "What brings you here?"