Chapter 7 Claimed before them all

Aiden's POV

My emotions were a storm of rage and chaos. Someone... some worthless being, had dared to hurt my woman, and for that, they would pay.

Seeing Rose cry, watching her shatter into sorrow, it tore me apart in ways I couldn't describe. I would do anything for her. Anything.

I had already mind-linked Fred, instructing him to investigate. He was dependable. If there was something to uncover, he would find it.

Now, I held Rose's trembling hand as we stepped into the grand hall together. The moment we entered, silence fell like a hammer.

My presence...my aura... commanded it.

Every head bowed. Every pair of eyes dropped. The entire room shifted into deference, all attention snapping to us.

"Who dared to conspire against Rose?" My voice cracked through the hall like thunder, reverberating against the marble and stone. The ground itself seemed to respond, trembling beneath our feet.

A wave of uneasy murmurs rippled through the room. No one met my gaze.

Rose stood beside me, her head lowered in fear. Her body shook with the weight of what she'd endured earlier. My chest ached at the sight of her like this. Fragile. Wounded.

And gods help me, I would burn this place to the ground before I let it happen again.

"Silence!" I barked, raising one hand.

The murmuring stopped instantly.

Not even the Alphas spoke, not even Jackson's father, Alpha Craig.

Then, the doors creaked open, and Fred entered. His grip was firm around a man's bound arms as he dragged him into the hall. The man stumbled, clearly dazed, his hands tied tightly behind his back.

Fred's voice rang out, unwavering. "Your Highness, I have evidence."

I scanned the hall and immediately spotted Diva near the side columns. Her eyes widened with sudden panic. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow. She fidgeted, trying to hide her reaction, but I saw it.

There was something off about her.

And I would get to the bottom of it.

Fred spoke clearly for all to hear. "After your mind-link, I began tracking any suspicious activity. I spotted this man receiving a large sum of money just outside the west wing. It caught my attention. I followed him discreetly."

He paused to let the words sink in before continuing.

"As he left the palace grounds, he looked around, cautious, checking for followers. Then, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tossed it aside. I retrieved it and caught the scent immediately, pungent, chemical, and unnatural. That's when I knew."

Fred's eyes darkened.

"He was involved in what happened to Lady Rose. I caught up to him, knocked him out, and brought him here for questioning. He's awake now... and ready to confess."

A tense silence descended on the room, almost deafening.

The man dropped to his knees, his voice cracking as he pleaded.

"Pl-please, my lord! I. . .I didn't mean for it to happen! I swear, I wouldn't dare harm anyone. . . "

"Who sent you?" I growled, stepping forward. The anger in my voice made the chandeliers rattle above us.

The man's whole body trembled. His head remained bowed.

His next words dropped like a dagger in the room.

"It... it was Mistress Diva."

A collective gasp echoed across the hall.

"Ohhh!" Dozens of voices cried out in shock and disbelief.

All eyes turned toward Diva.

She staggered back, lips parting, her face a mixture of fear and fury.

I stepped closer, never looking away from her.

"Is this true?" I asked coldly. "Did you betray your own pack to hurt Rose?"

A furious red flushed across Diva's face at the humiliation.

"She sent her maid to tell me to make Rose faint," the man confessed, trembling. "Said it would leave her vulnerable... that she could get to you more easily. She threatened to kill my entire family if I refused." Tears welled in his eyes. "Please, Sire. Have mercy. I didn't want to do it."

Jackson opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. Something close to jealousy flickered in his expression, but right now, he wasn't my concern.

Then Alpha Craig, Jackson's father, finally stepped forward. "Sire," he said, "Diva would never hurt a fly." His voice held a sneer. "Perhaps Rose wasn't conspired against. What if this man is just making up the entire story?"

I turned to him slowly, my voice a growl. "Who gave you the right, a mere Alpha, to speak while I am speaking? Do you even know the condition in which I found her?"

Alpha Craig paled and stepped back. "S-sorry, Sire," he stammered with a bow. I didn't even spare him a glance. All I could think of was Rose, my Rose, whose head remained bowed, her hands clenched in her lap.

I gently lifted her chin. Her eyes shimmered with pain, her expression crushed. I caressed her cheek. "You will be okay," I murmured. "I'm here for you..."

Then I raised my voice, letting it thunder across the silent hall.

"Diva! Come forward."

She obeyed slowly, trying to muster confidence. Her eyes flitted to mine, attempting some pathetic attempt at seduction, but it fell flat.

"Did I give you permission to raise your head?" I snapped. "On your knees."

She dropped immediately, fidgeting, her face crumbling with fear. Her makeup began to run from sweat, streaking grotesquely down her face until she looked more monster than maiden. She looked around the hall, hoping for someone to intervene, but no one moved. Not this time.

As she knelt, something caught my eye. . .her back. That curve... it was the same silhouette I had seen that night, the night Rose almost died. The rage inside me flared.

I clenched my fists tightly. I wanted nothing more than to rip her apart.

"You know who I am, don't you?" I asked darkly.

"Y-yes, my Lord," she stammered.

"Did you have a hand in this, Diva?" I asked, barely controlling my fury. "And don't you dare lie. It won't end well for you."

Her eyes darted in panic. The sweat continued to pour, and with it, her confidence melted away.

"Y-yes, my Lord," she finally confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

A gasp erupted from the crowd.

Diva lowered her head in shame, too humiliated to speak.

Behind me, Rose let out a quiet sob. Tears slid down her cheeks, unstoppable. My heart shattered at the sight. I wiped her face gently and gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Then I turned to Alpha Craig.

"Is this how you treat your own in this Pack?" I asked coldly. "That day in the woods, I caught a glimpse of Diva fleeing after nearly killing Rose."

Diva flinched violently. Her eyes widened in horror, she hadn't expected to be seen.

"She is a demon," someone muttered from the crowd.

"Evil."

"She doesn't deserve to be here."

The curses spread like wildfire. It satisfied something primal in me to watch her suffer in the same hall where she tried to destroy my mate.

"Rose was unconscious for two whole weeks," I continued, my voice thick with emotion. "If Fred and I hadn't found her in time, she'd be dead now. And even when she woke up, she didn't think of herself, she rushed to the palace to help prepare for my coronation."

I turned my gaze to the room. "Rose is selfless. Kind and loyal. And yet none of you cared. No one stood up for her."

"Please. . ." Alpha Craig tried to speak again.

"Not another word!" I barked. "It's obvious that if Rose stays in this Pack, it will kill her. So I have made my decision."

I turned to her.

"I'm taking her with me. Back to my Pack. Where she will be protected, cherished, and safe."

She blinked, stunned. Her lips parted, eyes wide, and tears still clinging to her lashes.

"Yes," I said again, more gently. "I will."

"No, you won't!" Jackson's voice rang out behind me, defiant and loud. The audacity!