The morning after the council meeting, Xanthe and Lynam set their plan into motion. They knew proving Lynam's innocence wasn't just about clearing his name—it was about exposing the true enemy behind the attacks.
"Elias has always been meticulous," Xanthe said, pacing the room. "He wouldn't leave loose ends, but he'll need help. Alex and Michelle are his pawns, but they don't realize what they're truly involved in."
"I have a few allies in the business world who owe me favors," Lynam replied. "If anyone's been moving money or falsifying transactions, we'll trace it."
"We also need to investigate the rogues," Xanthe added. "Someone's feeding them information, and Elias is orchestrating it. We just need proof."
Lynam nodded. "We'll divide and conquer. I'll handle the financial side; you handle the rogues."
Their plan was dangerous, but they had no other choice.
Elias wasn't idle. He knew Xanthe and Lynam would fight back, so he made his next move before they could gain any ground.
"I've planted more evidence," Elias told Michelle during a secret meeting. "This time, it implicates Xanthe directly. The council will have no choice but to remove her."
Michelle smirked. "And what about Lynam? He won't let her go down without a fight."
"That's why I've started spreading rumors that he's trying to overthrow her.
Michelle leaned back in her chair, satisfied. "You've thought of everything."
"Of course," Elias said, concealing the true depth of his plan. "They'll never see it coming."
Back at the pack's compound, Xanthe returned from investigating rogue activity with grim news.
"They've been getting inside information," she told Lynam. "Every move we've made, they've countered. Elias is feeding them, using Michelle and Alex to mask his involvement."
"Michelle and Alex have no idea what they're part of," Lynam replied. "They think this is just about power. If they knew about the supernatural…"
"They don't, and we have to keep it that way," Xanthe interrupted. "We can't let them discover the truth. It's our only advantage."
Before Lynam could respond, a messenger burst into the room, out of breath. "Alpha Luna, the council has called an emergency session. They've found new evidence… implicating you both."
Xanthe's heart sank. "What kind of evidence?"
The messenger hesitated. "They claim you've been secretly negotiating with the rogues… and that Lynam has been funding them."
"This is Elias's doing," Lynam growled.
Xanthe straightened, her resolve hardening. "Then we confront him. If the council wants to challenge us, we'll give them the truth. It's time to bring Elias into the light."