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Soon, he promised himself. Soon I can announce to the pride that Amara is my fated mate and stop pretending she's just here to mediate. Soon we can start building our future together.

FIFTEEN

AMARA

Amara walked beside Raxen through the estate's grand corridors toward the conference room, her heels clicking against the polished floors in a rhythm that matched her racing heartbeat. Tonight would either vindicate Raxen completely or expose how deep the conspiracy against him truly ran.

Please let this work.

The conference room door stood open, revealing the assembled crowd within. The four neighboring Alphas—Jorik, Darius, Kael, and Mason—sat clustered together on one side of the massive mahogany table, their expressions ranging from concerned to openly skeptical. Tavian occupied his usual seat near the head of the table, his silver-streaked hair perfectly styled and his posture radiating the calm authority he'd cultivated over decades. Sori sat beside her father, her blue eyes darting between Pax's evidence case and the door as if calculating escape routes.

Leon Mitchell, the head of the labor union, shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his weathered hands fidgeting with a stack of papers that Amara suspected contained nothing useful. Vessa had claimed the seat closest to where Raxen would stand, her diplomatic smile not quite masking the tension in her shoulders. Pax clutched his evidence case like a lifeline, his sandy hair disheveled from running his hands through it. Jalen stood sentinel by the door, his imposing frame and watchful brown eyes making it clear that no one would leave without permission.

The four Alphas seemed genuinely puzzled by the emergency meeting, their conversations dying as Raxen entered. Tavian, however, wore barely concealed irritation, as if this entire gathering were an inconvenient interruption to more important business. Sori and Leon exchanged a glance that made Amara's stomach twist. They looked like defendants waiting for a verdict they already knew would be unfavorable.

They know exactly why we're here.

Raxen moved to the head of the table with the fluid confidence that had first captivated her, but he didn't sit. Instead, he remained standing, his towering frame commanding immediate attention from everyone in the room. Amara made a split-second decision and positioned herself beside him rather than take an empty seat—a gesture of solidarity she hoped looked professional rather than personal.

Please don't let anyone realize we're fated mates. Not yet. Not until we clear his name.

Her investigation was just beginning, despite Pax's breakthrough. If anyone challenged her objectivity now or discovered her true relationship with Raxen, it could jeopardize everything.

"Thank you all for coming tonight," Raxen began, his deep voice filling the conference room with authority. "I know the hour is late, but we've uncovered evidence that demands immediate attention."

His piercing blue gaze swept across the assembled faces before settling on Sori and Leon. "Evidence that this entire labor crisis was manufactured from within our own organization."

Sori's composed facade cracked slightly, her fingers tightening around the table’s edge. Leon's weathered face went pale, and he cleared his throat as if preparing to speak, then apparently thought better of it. Tavian leaned back in his chair, his blue-grey eyes moving between Amara and Raxen with an intensity that made her skin crawl. Something in his expression—a calculating awareness that hadn't been there before—made her stomach drop.

Does he know we're fated mates?

Before Raxen could continue, Amara stepped forward slightly. "Pax, would you please present the evidence to Alphas Jorik, Darius, Kael, and Mason? Show them that the wage records and shipping manifests were indeed doctored."

Pax stood on slightly unsteady legs, his nervousness evident as he opened his evidence case with trembling hands. He pulled out the thick documents they’d reviewed earlier and passed them across the table to the four Alphas, who immediately huddled to examine the papers.

The silence stretched taut as the Alphas studied the evidence, their expressions growing darker with each page. Alpha Jorik, a grizzled man with silver threading his dark hair, looked up first.

"These have indeed been intentionally doctored to make it appear that Alpha Raxen authorized everything," he said grimly. "The authorization codes are present, but the patterns are wrong. Someone copied his signature and approval processes."

Alpha Mason nodded and held up one of the shipping manifests. "These have been tampered with as well, designed to make Alpha Raxen appear incompetent and negligent in his duties."

Tavian rose smoothly from his chair. "Gentlemen, there must be some explanation here. Surely we're not jumping to conclusions based on⁠—"

"It appears that Sori Sol and Leon Mitchell were behind this conspiracy," Alpha Darius interrupted, his voice cutting through Tavian's diplomatic deflection.

Tavian's composure never wavered, but Amara caught a flash of something dangerous in his eyes. "Really, this must be some enormous misunderstanding," Tavian said, his tone remaining perfectly reasonable. "My daughter and the head of our labor union would never go against Alpha Raxen. This is absurd. These documents must have been fabricated."

Pax straightened, some of his nervousness replaced by professional indignation. "That's impossible, sir. I spent twenty-four straight hours digging into this, cross-referencing systems that most people don't even know exist. These records are authentic in every way except for the authorization codes and signatures. Someone used Alpha Raxen's credentials to make everyone believe he was behind the unfair wages and shipping problems."

Tavian's eyes narrowed slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice carried a subtle edge that made Amara's skin prickle with warning.

"Pax, I know you're very good at your job, but I think I see what's happening here." He turned to face Amara directly, his gaze boring into hers with uncomfortable intensity. "This human mediator, Miss Amara Quinn, paid you to fabricate evidence against Sori and Leon. She's not here to help us—she's here to exploit us, to gain notoriety and Raxen's favor by destroying Raxen's own family to clear his name."

He's turning this around on me?

"She's trying to show her mate that she would do anything for him," Tavian continued, his voice growing stronger with each word. "Even destroy innocent people."

Alpha Kael's head snapped up, his eyes widening. "Mate?"