Chapter 4
\nI turned away before anyone could respond. There were still urgent pack matters to arrange, duties I would not abandon. After that, everything rested on the trial.
\nThe fallout came faster than I expected.
\nThrough the mind-link, the conflict spread beyond our territory, racing through packs across North America. By the next day, the narrative had already been decided.
\nI was the traitor Luna.
\nKael, meanwhile, had become the wronged Alpha-patient, devoted, pitiful.
\nThe rumors grew uglier by the hour. Some claimed I had deliberately terminated multiple pregnancies to destroy the Alpha\u2019s bloodline for a rogue lover. Others said I had siphoned pack funds to finance my escape. There were even whispers that the injuries I sustained fighting the rogues had damaged my mind, leaving my inner wolf unstable.
\nNo one questioned any of it.
\nEven my parents couldn\u2019t withstand the pressure.
\n\u201cYou are a disgrace to this family,\u201d my father said, his voice flat with contempt. \u201cSerena has shown nothing but gratitude and restraint. And you-our own blood-have brought us shame.\u201d
\nMy mother didn\u2019t raise her voice. That hurt more.
\n\u201cFrom today on,\u201d she said, \u201cI no longer have a daughter. Serena deserves that place far more than you ever did.\u201d
\nI said nothing.
\nThree days later, the trial began.
\nWhen I arrived at the council hall, hundreds of werewolves stood outside. They watched me openly, without restraint. In their eyes, I was already guilty.
\nThe Luna mark was gone. So was the respect that came with it.
\nAs I stepped toward the entrance, Kael moved to block me.
\n\u201cElara,\u201d he said quietly, as if we were alone. \u201cIt\u2019s not too late to withdraw.\u201d
\n\u201cFor the child,\u201d he added. \u201cFor the pack. Don\u2019t push this to the point where no one can turn back.\u201d
\n\u201cI swear,\u201d he said, lowering his voice, \u201cfrom today on, I\u2019ll choose you. Only you.\u201d
\nAround us, agreement surged through the mind-link.
\n\u201cThe Alpha is sincere.\u201d
\n\u201cShe should forgive him.\u201d
\n\u201cHe was only helping family.\u201d
\nI looked past him.
\nSerena stood nearby, holding the pup. Her face was soft, obedient. Only when our eyes met did I see it-the brief, satisfied flicker she didn\u2019t bother to hide.
\nEven my parents wouldn\u2019t meet my gaze.
\nI stepped around Kael and entered the hall.
\n\u201cThis emergency session of the Elder Council is hereby convened,\u201d the Great Elder announced, his voice carrying through the chamber. \u201cThe matter before us is the dissolution of the mate bond between Alpha Kael and Luna Elara.\u201d
\n\u201cAlpha Kael, you may speak.\u201d
\nKael rose.
\n\u201cMy Luna has misunderstood my actions,\u201d he said. \u201cI was caring for an orphaned pup. Serena is her adopted sister. Protecting family is my duty as Alpha.\u201d
\n\u201cI love my Luna,\u201d he continued evenly. \u201cBut her jealousy has clouded her judgment. That is why I agreed to this hearing.\u201d
\nApproval rippled through the chamber.
\nThen Gideon, the Beta, stepped forward.
\n\u201cElders,\u201d he said, \u201cthe Luna\u2019s behavior has been erratic. She has been in contact with outsiders. I believe she has been influenced-possibly bewitched.\u201d
\nAnother witness followed. Then another.
\n\u201cShe pushed the Alpha.\u201d
\n\u201cShe frightened Serena.\u201d
\n\u201cShe is unfit to lead.\u201d
\nBy the time they finished, the verdict seemed inevitable.
\nThe Great Elder turned to me.
\n\u201cLuna Elara,\u201d he said, \u201cdo you have anything to say?\u201d
\n\u201cIf you cannot present new evidence,\u201d he continued, \u201cthis Council will rule against you, dissolve the bond by force, and strip you of your title.\u201d
\nThe hall buzzed with anticipation.
\nKael and Serena exchanged a glance. They were already celebrating.
\nI stood.
\n\u201cYes,\u201d I said. \u201cI have evidence.\u201d
\nKael\u2019s composure finally cracked. \u201cEnough,\u201d he snapped. \u201cWhat could you possibly have?\u201d
\nI didn\u2019t answer him.
\nI removed a small box from my pocket and placed it on the table.
\n\u201cInside,\u201d I said calmly, \u201care three items. Two memory crystals. One document.\u201d
\n\u201cThese pieces of evidence will prove to everyone how your Alpha betrayed his mate, engaged in an illicit affair with his mate\u2019s sister, and fathered a child. They will show how he fabricated lies and tried to manipulate the council.\u201d<\/p>\n
My alpha mate secretly got my sister pregnant Ch 4 Chapter 4 I turned away before anyone could respond. There […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dark-mating-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}