Chapter 207

DOMINIC’S POV The waiting was the worst part. Each hour dragged on like a chain dragging through mud, and every time I looked at Olivia or the kids, I was reminded why I couldn’t afford silence—not now. Thirty-five votes. Five more. That was all it would take—just five more votes. Five more elders with the courage to stand up and strip the Alpha King of his throne. But I knew why those votes hadn’t come through yet. I knew the real reason for the delay, the hesitation, the silence. And I knew I had to be the one to fix it. Olivia hadn’t said much, but I could feel her restlessness in the way she moved, the way her eyes searched for answers I couldn’t yet give. She was growing anxious with the lack of progress, and I didn’t blame her. What I did blame was the person holding us back. Because in the end, it all came down to her. My mother. She had friends in high places—especially within the elder council. And though she was only a junior member herself, the influence she carried behind c