h4Chapter 485: National Threat/h4

    i"Alpha King Elijah! What’s your response to the explosion?!"/i

    i"Where is responsible for the attack?!"/i

    i"Alpha king Elijah over here!"/i

    Security had already formed a barricade between the crowd of reporters and the entrance of the Lycanthrope Intelligence Agency. Their ck uniforms and the sight of their rifles was enough to instil fear in them and keep the ruckus at bay.

    Elijah was standing at the top of the steps, his towering frame rigid,manding silence by presence alone. Christian, his beta, remained just to the side, his arms folded behind him while his eyes sweept the press for any threat.

    With the cameras rolling, Elijah began his speech.

    "The incident that urredst night was not an ident but a deliberate, calcted assault."

    Themotion had stopped at this point. shbulbs continued to blink, but the reporters had fallen silent now, hanging onto every word he said.

    "The target," he continued, "was not civilians, but the future of our pack. The Cardinal Alphas, four of the most promising heirs of the werewolfmunity. And though many fought bravely, one of ours paid the ultimate price."

    He announced. "Alpha Henry Nightshade is dead."

    There was a collective gasp as it came as a shock to them.

    "Henry was at the scene at the time of the attack and fought to protect the younger generation. He held off the attackers long enough to ensure their survival, and for that, we all owe him a debt of honor."

    For a minute, Elijah closed his eyes, a solemn nod as if paying him respect.

    Then his voice turned cold as he said. "The perpetrator of this atrocity is not hidden and is none other than Doctor Patrick Vale."

    Another murmuring came from the crowd. While some reporters recorded, the others were busy jotting down on their notebook as fast as they could.

    "Yes," Elijah confirmed. "The same Patrick Vale who pretended to work for the betterment of students at Lunaris Academy. The same Patrick who pledged loyalty to both humans and shifters."

    His lips curled in disgust.

    "All while conducting illegal, inhumane experiments on werewolf students behind closed doors. He manipted trust, corrupted science, and betrayed the sacred ord meant to keep our species at peace."

    He let the silence stretch before adding, "His goal was not research. It was extinction. He sought to wipe out the backbone of our society by eliminating the Cardinal Alphas and destabilizing the bnce of power. If his n had seeded, the future of the werewolf race would have crumbled. But the goddess has been faithful and his ns were uncovered."

    Elijah increased not just his voice but the weight of his words. "You would think that after the Great War, we would have learned

    that humans and shifters, both born of flesh and spirit, havee far enough to co-exist. We hurt like you. Feel like you. Bleed like you. We are not beasts in cages."

    He scanned the sea of faces before him. "Racist acts like this," he said slowly, "cannot—will not—be tolerated. Not while the ord stands. Not while I still draw breath."

    He spoked directly into one of the cameras, eyes dark and daring. "So I’m calling on President Roy to step up. To remember the oath between humans and wolves. To do his job before this fire burns beyond anyone’s control."

    Then his tone softened, pain evident in his eyes as he said. "We will investigate this matter to its end and reveal the truth, no matter how dark. But for now, we mourn and bury our dead."

    He gave a single nod to the cameras. "That will be all for now."

    Then he turned.

    The reporters moved forward, shouting again.

    i"Alpha King Elijah! Where are the other Alphas? Why aren’t they in custody?"/i

    i"What does this mean for the ord?!"/i

    i"Did you really not know about the experiments?!"/i

    But Elijah didn’t answer and simply walked through the agency doors as they parted before him, Christian right behind.

    —--------

    "That son of a bitch!" President Roy cursed as soon as Elijah’s interview ended. "He just put me on the hot seat in front of the entire damn country," he ranted.

    Silence fell in the room.

    Elijah was not alone, his cab consisting of six men and women were with him, their expressions unreadable. They all wore suits.

    Roy scoffed, pacing. "He gave them a narrative and made me look like a fool."

    "More like a bystander," Secretary Lana, head of supernatural affairs, said, adjusting her sses. "Which, respectfully, is worse."

    Roy turned on them. "He funded that bastard Patrick. He gave him resources, ess under Elijah’s his jurisdiction. You’re telling me we don’t go public with that? We don’t drag the his dirtyundry into the light and force him to kneel?"

    Lana said. "Sir, if we expose Elijah right now, it won’t just stain his reputation, it will bring an unrest we are not prepared for. The public is currently sympathic to the woes of the wolves. Not to mention exposing him might lead to the discovery of ignis. Even Patrick was careful not to mention that."

    "Not to mention Elijah already framed it as your responsibility to remove Patrick," said General Sammi, the head of Homnd Defense for both human and supernatural districts. "He’s cornered you using the verynguage of the ord."

    His Chief of Staff, a woman named Anya, finally spoke up.

    "Elijah’s move was calcted. His wolves were being seen as reckless and dangerous are now the victims. If we retaliate publicly, we’re the viins."

    Sammi told the president. "This is about national security. Elijah may be a maniptive bastard, but Patrick Vale has be a rogue scientist with supernatural ess. He already tried to wipe out the Cardinal Alphas. Who’s to say he won’t target you next?"

    Roy sat down slowly, rubbing a hand down his face. "So what do we do?" he asked.

    "Release the official statement," Lana said. "Patrick Vale is now ssified as a national-level threat to supernatural and human lives alike. The ord remains intact, and as far as the public knows, we’re working hand-in-hand with Elijah to bring him down."

    President Roy sighed. "Fine."

    Just like that, the decision was made.