Vania catches Misery and Serena in the Nest attic and marches them to Councilman Lark’s office, where Mick is waiting with guards. Misery confronts Mick and learns that he betrayed Lowe because Councilman Lark has Mick’s son. Mick’s silence confirms that he helped redirect suspicion toward Emery and the Loyals, and Misery realizes how deeply Councilman Lark has manipulated events inside Were territory.

When Misery challenges her father, Councilman Lark claims that cruelty is justified if it protects Vampyres. Serena then lays out the political system he built: Vampyres preserved their power by maintaining alliances with Humans, encouraging Human-Were conflict, and using Governor Davenport as a compromised tool. Councilman Lark does not deny it, confirming that he has long used bribery, thralling, and covert interference to keep Weres and Humans divided.

Councilman Lark next reveals why Serena was taken. Decades earlier, Governor Davenport told him about a child born to a Human and a Were, and that child was Serena. Because Serena presented as Human, Councilman Lark hid her in Human territory near Misery and monitored her for years; when Serena’s Were traits began emerging and she investigated her origins, he captured and thralled her for information. He also explains that Thomas Jalakas discovered Ana’s existence after recognizing his former lover’s child in a photograph, and that Councilman Lark used Davenport to remove Thomas and ultimately have him killed before Thomas and Serena could expose hybrid existence.

According to Councilman Lark, Serena and Ana are dangerous not because they are weak, but because they could become symbols of unity between Humans and Weres and destroy Vampyre leverage. Serena notes that Maddie Garcia’s election has already weakened his influence by cutting him off from Human cooperation. Councilman Lark then clarifies two major truths: he never meant to kill Ana, and the earlier poison was meant for Misery so Lowe would be too devastated to protect Ana. Lowe is brought in handcuffs by Owen, and when Councilman Lark names Misery as Lowe’s mate, Misery demands that Lowe deny it; Lowe cannot, which silently confirms the bond.

To force Lowe to surrender Ana, Councilman Lark presses Vania’s knife to Misery’s throat and threatens to kill her. Misery refuses to ask Lowe to choose her over Ana, even after Councilman Lark admits he is willing to sacrifice Misery again. Serena then secretly tells Misery, in their coded alphabet, that Councilman Lark is wrong about one thing: Serena can shift. Misery hides the warning inside a farewell message for Ana, Lowe understands, Owen suddenly removes Lowe’s restraints, and both Lowe and Serena transform into large white wolves and launch a violent counterattack.