Chapter 17 She's Too Weak To Act

Ryder I stood in the center of my office, fists clenched so tight my knuckles burned. Rage pulsed through every inch of my body, violent and consuming. My eyes stayed locked on the massive flatscreen mounted on the wall. Every channel. Every broadcast. Every territory. All screaming the same thing: “Alpha Ryder BlackThorn under investigation!” “Community funds stolen—evidence leaked!” “Illegal land deals uncovered!” “Council freezes Alpha Ryder’s personal assets!” My name—dragged through mud. My title—spat on. My reputation—slaughtered in full daylight. My wolf crashed against my ribcage, snarling, clawing, demanding blood. I tasted copper—blood—where I’d bitten the inside of my cheek raw from holding back explosive fury. Whoever did this would suffer. The torment would be legendary. “This is a joke,” I muttered, voice trembling with suppressed violence. “This has to be a joke. Someone thinks this is funny.” Draven stood stiffly beside me, arms behind his back. He didn’t dare turn his