Shadows Follow Lonely Minds — Christopher Harris 2
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Chapter 002
The memory snapped away, leaving me in the trial chamber with every eye on me.
“Well, Luna?” Elder Norman pressed, “what do you have to say for yourself?”
My chest rose and fell, fury coiling in.
“That I did nothing wrong,“ I replied, my voice sharp as a blade.
Draven’s face was stone-cold.
“Then, you have nothing to fear,” He coldly said.”If the councils finds you guilty—Your title will be stripped and so will your bond to me”
The words struck like a blow, but I didn’t look away, I did nothing wrong. They betrayed me.
“Then, let the council judge,” I replied through gritted teeth.“I am ready.”
The pack members gasped while the council prepared to deliver the trial.
I stood in the centre, silver shackles biting into my wrists, the entire council watching like wolves ready to pounce.
“Luna Kaia,” Elder Norman’s voice rang through the public chambers. “You are accused of treason and conspiracy to assassinate Liora—The mother of the Alpha’s heir. How do you plead?”
My heart thudded against my ribs, but I swallowed hard and chin up.
“I plead innocent”
Draven’s eyes burned into me. “Then explain two nights after humiliating her before the entire Pack, Liora was found half-dead on the North border —ambushed by rogues who claimed they were hired”
My mind reeled. Hired? By who?
“You think I sent the rogues?” My eyes snapped to Draven, my mate, who I no longer recognise.“ That I would risk the entire Pack’s safety just to hurt her?”
“Your hatred for her is no secret. You refused to step down, Kaia.You made your choice” Draven’s golden eyes blazed.
“Enough!” Elder Norman’s gavel struck the table.“The council will deliberate. If found guilty, Luna Kaia, you will be stripped of your title and exiled—if not executed”
His words struck like a death sentence, sending shivers down my shivers.
I lifted my chin, staring straight at Draven, letting my rage blaze for every wolf to see.
For the first time, I felt fear creeping in.
“Proceed,” Draven grimly said.
“Luna Kaia,You may give your accounts of the event leading up to the alleged attack”
My shackled hands curled into fists by my sides. Forcing my voice to stay steady.
“I have nothing to hide. I did not send rogues after Liora.I would never endanger the pack for my personal gains”
A murmur of agreement rose from a few wolves at the back but Draven’s glare silenced them.
Draven stepped forward, his alpha aura pressing down like a weight.
“You humiliated her before the entire pack at the Unity festival,” He said, his voice sharp.“You walked away when she offered peace. You refused to relinquish your title as Luna despite knowing she carries my heir and the Pack’s future Alpha”
My jaw clenched
“Because I am your mate,” I snapped. “Because you swore yourself to me before the moon goddess. And now you would strip me of that for her?”
Liora’s soft sobs broke the tense silence.
All eyes turned to her when she walked into the chambers with a few people aiding her.
She looked pale and trembling, one hand resting protectively on her belly.
“I never wanted this,” Liora’s perfectly pitched fragile voice rang out.“I begged the Alpha not to summon the council. I told him you were angry that night,but you will never hurt me. But then, the rogues…”
She broke off with a shudder, tears sliding down her cheeks.
“One of them said my name,” She whispered.“Said they were sent to make sure I didn’t live to be crowned”
Gasps rippled through the room.
Elder Norman turned a sharp gaze on me.
“Do you deny this?”
My breath caught.
“Of course I do! Anyone can claim a name—rogues lie for coins! You think I would hire scum like that when the safety of the pack is my responsibility?
Draven’s eyes narrowed, annoyed.“ You had a motive.You had a reason to do this”
My anger flared up.
“Then perhaps you should ask yourself who truly benefits from this attack,” I pointed out coldly.“Because it certainly isn’t me”
“What are you implying?” Draven asked, his eyes darkened.
“That I had no reason to hire rogues,” I replied sharply.
“You have a reason to…To get rid of Liora because she can bear a child for me but you cannot”
Draven hit me where it hurts the most.
“That’s not true,” I shook my head.
“You wanted Liora and our heir gone so that you get to keep your title as Luna” Draven said.
“I said it’s not true, I will never do that!”
“You pushed her down,trying to make her miscarry my heir she carries,” Draven accused.
“I didn’t touch her. She fell on her own. Anyone who was there saw that” I retorted.
“Yet,we all saw her stumble and clutch her stomach. Are you saying the entire pack imagined it?” Elder Rowan asked.
“That’s not what happened. I never touched her“ I protested.
A few wolves in the crowd muttered agreement, but Draven didn’t flinch.
“And yet you left her on her knees,” he coldly said.“You refused to reconcile, refused to put the pack first because you love your title as Luna more than anything!”
“Because it’s the right thing to do!” I snapped back.
“I…I don’t want to cause trouble. I’m sure Luna Kaia didn’t mean to frighten me. She just…looked so angry” Liora’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“You are twisting this,” my hands curled into fists.“I walked away because I refused to play her games”
“We all saw Luna Kaia’s hostility towards Liora. Now,she claims innocence when Liora was nearly killed by rogues? The truth is plain —Luna Kaia had a motive, and she’s already shown the lengths she’ll go to keep her crown, “another elder stated.
I wanted to argue but he wouldn’t let me.
“And what happened on the days following the festival,” Elder Norman returned his gaze to me.
My throat tightened as the memories rippled through.
“You all avoided me,” I replied bitterly,“The pack whispered behind my back. And Liora? She walked the halls as though she had already been crowned. And the Alpha,” I looked at Draven, my voice breaking.“..Wouldn’t even look at me”
With tears threatening to fall from my eyes, I continued.“Then, last night, I was dragged from my chambers without warning. Shackled like a criminal in front of my pack”
My nail dug into my palms.
“I was told Liora had been found on the northern border —Half dead after a rogue attack and that those rogues confessed that I sent them.”
The chambers gasped as Liora stepped forward again, her hands clasping her pregnant belly.
“I begged the alpha not to summon you, that you are still his Luna and I didn’t want to come between you two.” Her voice cracked with emotion.
She shuddered, turning her face to Draven, who readily wrapped his arms around her protectively.
My stomach twisted as if a blade had been driven through it.
I looked at them, disgusted.
I wish I could disappear but I was bound in silver chains.
Liora raised her head from Draven’s chest and looked at me.
“But the rogues…Said they were ordered to kill me before I could be crowned Luna, before this child could be born” She said softly, tears in her eyes.
“I swear I didn’t want your throne, Kaia,” She cried, lifting her tears-stained face just enough for the council to see.“I only wanted peace and protection for my child”
Saying this, Liora subtly lifted Draven’s hand and pressed it against her belly, forcing the entire chamber’s attention on them.
Then, a sob left her lips, and she fell against Draven’s chest, weeping.
“I never wanted any of this, Luna Kaia,” she clutched Draven’s hand.“I want the best for Draven, this Pack and its future”
The council shifted uncomfortably.their expressions tight with pity as they nodded to what Liora said.
Then, Liora’s gaze shifted to me. For the quickest second, I saw her mask flipped off. Her eyes glittered, her lips curving into the faintest smile.
And in the most vulnerable voice, she whispered, loud enough for the chamber to hear.
“I suppose not everyone can love this pack enough to let go of their crown”
I knew this whore wasn’t innocent as she pretended to be but she’s getting bolder each second.
I turned to look at the council, sympathy was etched on their faces. Even the pack members watching from the side looked at her with pity and me with judgment.
I want to pull her hair and call her a liar but if I did anything, her accusations would be proven true.
I’d look jealous. Bitter. Guilty.
And Liora knew this.
I was forced to watch as she turned everyone against me.
As if on cue, Liora lifted her head.
“I never wanted to replace her,” Liora said, clutching her stomach.“I only wanted to serve the Alpha, to protect this heir. But, I was so afraid. Afraid because Luna Kaia told me herself that I will never belong here”
The chamber gasped. Hundreds of heads sharply turned to me.
My eyes widened in shock, I didn’t realise when the words left my throat.
“Lies. That’s a lie!”
Liora’s lip quivered as she buried her face against Draven’s chest, letting her sobs spill into his shirt.
“Luna Kaia said the moon goddess made a mistake,” Liora’s voice cracked, as if she had practiced it many times.“That my baby would be a curse on the pack…She threatened she’d make sure I was gone before my baby was born if I didn’t leave this pack”
The chambers burst into a horrified murmur.
“She’s a monster!”
“Jealous witch. She threatened an innocent child when she failed to give birth to an heir”
“A woman like her is not fit to be our Luna”
I watched my pack members turn against me in real time.
I used to think my pack’s loyalty was unshakable, that my mate’s love was stronger than any storm.
Tonight, I learned how quickly both can be ripped away.
Wolves I had led, protected, bled for… now glaring at me with disgust.
“Enough!” Amidst the uproar, Elder Norman struck the gavel once more.
“ The council will hear the rogue witnesses, who survived the attack at moonrise. If their testimonies hold, Luna Kaia your title will be stripped and your bond to the Alpha will be severed”
My heart pounded as the guards stepped forward.
“Take her back to her cell until moonrise,” Elder Normal ordered.
As they seized my arms, I lifted my chin and locked eyes with Draven.
“This isn’t justice,” I spat.“This is all part of her game plan”
Draven’s jaws tightened but he didn’t say anything as the guards dragged me out of the chambers.
Instead,he held Liora close to his chest like she’s his fragile Luna, and I’m the evil monster, trying to kill her.
I kept my head down while the guards dragged me away in my silver chains, burning hot like a furnace.
The whispers of the guards did not escape my ears. It was targeted at me. For me to hear how much they hate me now.
“What a heartless Luna. She doesn’t deserve to be called one. Shameless”
“Trying to kill an innocent child to keep her title. She’s worse than rogues”
“The ropes are not enough. Her head should be placed beneath Liora’s feet”
My breath hitched but I swallowed my rage.
If I lash out now, they win.
As the cell door slammed shut, I knew the next time I saw the light of moonrise, it might be my last.
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.
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