Claimed by My Bestie's Alpha Daddy novel Chapter 45

I shoved open the Council chamber doors. The smell of wet wool and thunder settled heavy in the room. Nathan’s face was red with anger. Papers flew. Voices layered over each other.

I noticed Elder Tavish glaring at me from across the table, and it wasn’t the first time. He’d always been one of the most vocal elders against bringing me in. I could practically feel his satisfaction at having something to pin on me now, the smug certainty in his eyes that I was the weak link they’d warned Richard about.

“Emergency procedures failed!” Tavish shouted. “We lost ground because of that evacuation plan.”

I squared my shoulders. “It was secure. It wasn’t supposed to be public.”

He slammed his fist. “But it was. They knew. They were waiting for us.”

Tavish’s voice cut back in, adding detail to the accusation. ” You let the fallback route get compromised. Our people walked right into an ambush. They knew the exact plan Amelia signed off on. Don’t pretend that’s not on you.”

I felt my blood turn to ice. He made it sound like I’d handed them the map myself. The whole room leaned forward like they could see the blood on my hands. The entire table went silent. Emma opened her mouth to defend me, but Jenny’s cool voice cut through.”No one’s saying Amelia leaked it. But she’s new. She doesn’t know who to trust.”

My head snapped around. “Say that again.”

Jenny didn’t blink. She smiled, all sharp edges. “Orphan.

Outsider. How loyal can you be when you don’t belong anywhere?”

snapped back, voice shaking with fury. “You always watching me, Jenny? Like when you were spying on me „talking to Emma? You want to tell them that?”

Jenny’s smile thinned. “I watch you because you’re dangerous. Because you don’t belong here. You’re just looking for a place to betray.” She leaned forward, voice biting. “Don’t think we don’t all see it. Don’t think he doesn’t see it too.”

My chair scraped back. My vision tunneled. Emma hissed my name. Nathan’s voice cracked, “That’s enough.”

But Jenny wasn’t done. She leaned forward so only I could hear. “Tell me, Amelia, did you even know what you were signing when you joined this House? Or were you just grateful anyone would take you?”

My mouth worked but no sound came. Rage bubbled in my throat.

“And yet David knew,” Richard snapped. His eyes were fire on me. Nathan sighed, Emma shook her head. Jenny smirked, pretending to clean her nails.

I could feel the fury under my skin. My voice cracked. “We have a traitor.”

Jenny clicked the blade closed. “Maybe don’t trust people who don’t even know how we do things here.”My nails bit into my palms.

“You know what Jenny, you-”

Emma grabbed my arm. “Stop it.”

Richard’s voice was steel. “If you want to kill each other, do it later. Not in my strategy room.”