MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA

Before anyone could react, he had already covered the short distance between them, his movements swift and deadly. Reana, however, didn't flinch, her eyes never leaving the prisoner's face as she awaited his attack.

But just as his hand entered her space, Reana's hand shot out with lightning speed, her fingers closing around his wrist like a vice. With a swift, economical motion, she yanked his arm across her shoulder, using his momentum against him. The prisoner sailed through the air, his body crashing to the stone floor with a deafening bang that echoed off the walls.

"ARGH!" He groaned, his body wracked with pain, as he struggled to regain his bearings. The silver chains had weakened him, suppressing his ability to shift and leaving him vulnerable. The beating he'd endured at the hands of the warriors had taken its toll, and Reana's swift takedown had been the final blow.

For now, he was at her mercy, unable to muster the strength for another fight. His heartbeat still racing, the prisoner lay there, his chest heaving with shallow breaths, as he gazed up at Reana with a mixture of anger, frustration, and grudging admiration.

Reana gazed at him for a long, unsettling moment, her silence more unnerving than any words could have been. Then, with a deliberate slowness, she strode towards him, her movements economical and deadly. She squatted beside him, her hand reaching for the mask that concealed his face. But the prisoner was far from defeated, and with a sudden burst of adrenaline, he tried to grab her hand, to prevent her from unmasking him.

However, Reana was ready for him. With a swift, merciless motion, she seized his wrist and snapped it with a sickening crack.

"Ahhh!!!" he screamed, rolling on the floor in agony as he tried to escape from Reana, but that only served to add to his torture. His broken wrist throbbed with excruciating pain, making his vision blur.

Reana rose to her feet, her movements calm and deliberate, before taking a step closer to him. With a ruthless precision, she raised her foot and brought it down on his knee, the crack of shattering bone echoing through the cell again.

The prisoner's scream grew louder, his body contorting in anguish. As he rolled on his back, Reana broke his other knee, rendering him paralysed.

This person had the effrontery to sneak into her pack and cause unrest. A few of her warriors were killed, Ryder was hurt, and Vivian, whom she had plans for, had escaped. Death was too good for those involved. And she hoped Ryan could feel the weight of her wrath, could sense the fury that burned within her. Because, even the goddess wouldn't be able to save him from her.

Of course, Ryan could feel it - the other person's raw pain and agony. He was just a wall away, and Reana's rage was thick and heavy, seeping through the stone wall like a chill. His throat was burning from how dry it had become, and his fine hair was drenched with sweat, plastered to his forehead as he strained to listen. But he didn't believe that Reana would hurt him too much, considering many factors.

Meanwhile, Reana had taken off the prisoner's mask, revealing a face that wasn't particularly remarkable, yet was eerily familiar. Her eyes narrowed as she studied his features, trying to place where she had seen him before. And then, like a spark of electricity, it hit her - the memories came flooding back, and her gaze locked onto the prisoner's with a fierce intensity.

"Killian?" Kira frowned. He was Beta Ryan's brother.

Collective gasps filled the cell, the warriors exchanging shocked glances. They had already suspected Ryan's involvement, but the revelation that he had orchestrated the brutal attack on his own pack members, all to rescue Vivian, was a stunning betrayal.

In addition to that, he had caused such widespread unrest and even attempted to murder their beloved Luna, and that was a heinous crime that left them all reeling. They thought they had known Ryan, but it seemed they had never truly known him at all.

Reana's gaze swept across the elders, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity as she took in their stunned reactions. "The person you chose to be your Alpha," she emphasized, her voice dripping with disdain, "has brought shame and destruction upon our pack. He made a treacherous attempt on my life, and the lives of our pack members. How do we resolve this, Council?"

The elders shifted uncomfortably, their faces etched with remorse, regret, and a deep-seated anguish. It was as if their hearts were being ripped to pieces by the weight of their own fault. They had pressured the Luna to accept Beta Ryan as her mate, had championed him as the pack's Alpha for three long years, yet the same person they had deemed perfect for her had turned out to be a monstrous traitor.

The elders' eyes dropped, unable to meet Reana's piercing gaze, as the full extent of their mistake came crashing down upon them.

"I appreciate your effort, your care, and love, but henceforth, I shall not tolerate anyone trying to make decisions for me. I shall be allowed to make my choice, and that's final." With that, she turned and walked away, her back straight, her shoulders squared, and her head held high.

The elders watched her go, a mix of shame, regret, and admiration on their faces. They knew that Reana had grown into a powerful and wise leader, one who would no longer be swayed by their opinions or influenced by their desires - she never was, she only respected their opinions and took it when necessary.

The council concluded that whoever she decided to choose as her mate, they would accept, except that servant. They'd never accept a servant as their Alpha.

Unbeknownst to them all, Reana had played them like chess, expertly manipulating the situation to her advantage. By allowing the elders to think Ryan was a traitor, she had cleverly rid herself of the mini demon, a constant thorn in her side.

But she knew this was far from over. Ryan didn't have the cunning or resources to send those assassins to kill her. The crimes she convicted Ryan for were; sending people to kill Ryder, conniving with Kael, and ruining her leverage on Kael by rescuing Vivian.