uncers 108

FAYE 

The council chamber was suffocating. The walls seemed to close in as the elders bickered back and forth, each voice dripping with judgment and suspicion. They weren’t even hiding it anymore…every sentence was laced with the same accusation: that I didn’t belong here. 

I sat there, listening, watching as faces I had once respected twisted into masks of contempt. Over and over they repeated it-“she is not supposed to be here,” “until a trial is held, she has no place among us,” “she cannot be treated as equal when her innocence has not been proven.” 

The words dug into me like splinters. I wanted to clench my fists, to scream at them to stop tearing me apart like I was some carcass laid on their table for dissection. 

Alexander shifted beside me, clearly ready to speak, but something inside me snapped 

before he could. 

I rose to my feet. My chair scraped loudly against the stone floor. Every head turned in my direction, some in surprise, others in disdain. 

“I’ve had enough,” I said, my voice sharp. I didn’t know exactly why, but I suddenly had the strength to stand up to this people. Maybe it was the fact that I knew they were feeding off of my silence, or maybe it was just Alexander’s support. 

“Enough of sitting here and listening to you all talk about me as if I am invisible, as if I don’t exist in this room.” 

A ripple of shock passed over the council. Their brows furrowed, lips tightened. One of the elders, a man, Ezikiel, with a deep scowl etched permanently into his face, lifted a hand as if 

to silence me. 

“Luna, with respect-” 

“I am still talking,” I cut him off firmly, my tone cold. His hand froze in the air before lowering slowly. Gasps and murmurs echoed, but I refused to be intimidated. My heart pounded in my chest, but I forced myself to keep my voice steady. 

“I will only say this once, here, in front of every single one of you: I am innocent. I have never seen that ring in my life, and I will not sit quietly while you all build a cage of lies around me.” 

Their murmurs grew louder now, a wave of whispers spreading across the chamber. But I lifted my chin and refused to sit. 

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“I’m not done talking.” 

The silence that followed was strained, like a bowstring pulled to its limit. Gerald leaned forward from his seat with an impatient glare. 

Claim 

“You’re not making any sense,” he said, his voice heavy. “It would be better if you sat down and let the council deliberate.” 

I turned to him, locking eyes with the man who seemed most determined to bury me. “You might be an elder, Gerald, but that does not give you the right to silence me. Nor does it give you the right to decide whether I belong here. I am a full member of this council by virtue of the alliance Blood Crescent holds with my pack, Silver Hollow. That fact alone secures me a place at this table.” 

Gasps rippled through the room. My words were bold, perhaps reckless, but I didn’t regret them. My voice grew steadier with each syllable. 

“So if any one of you has a problem with my presence here, you are welcome to stand and leave the room.” 

Silence. Heavy, oppressive silence. No one moved. No one spoke. 

For the first time since this ordeal began, I felt the smallest measure of control return to me. 

I inhaled deeply, then continued, “It’s the trial you’re all so eager for, isn’t it? Fine. I am not afraid of it. Before the goddess and before men, I will stand and face any trial you wish to subject me to. I have nothing to fear. I will not cower or hide.” 

“Faye,” Alexander’s voice broke through the quiet. Calm, steady, almost protective. 

I turned to him, but I raised my hand gently. “Don’t worry,” I said, meeting his gaze. “I can handle this on my own. I don’t need you shielding me, not if it only gives them an excuse to disrespect you. Let them see that I am not hiding behind you. If they want the trial, let it begin 

now.” 

A low buzz spread around the chamber. Some members nodded, others frowned, but eventually the majority gave small murmurs of agreement. 

“Yes, the trial should begin.” 

“She has demanded it. Let us see.” 

One of them cleared his throat. “Still, the trial cannot begin until the Alpha gives his go–ahead.” 

All eyes turned to Alexander. He leaned back in his chair, composed. But I saw the way 

his 

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jaw flexed, the way his fingers tapped idly on the table as if measuring his patience. 

Chenn 

Then Gerald’s voice rang out again. “With all due respect, the Alpha cannot preside over this matter. We all know he is compromised. Faye is his mate by duty. His judgment cannot be impartial.” 

I looked at Alexander instinctively, waiting for him to react, to counter the insult, to declare firmly that he was more than capable of ruling fairly. 

But he didn’t. 

Instead, Alexander smirked faintly, almost amused. He didn’t offer a word in response, didn’t defend himself. He simply sat there, cool and collected, as if Gerald’s attempt to discredit him wasn’t even worth the air it was spoken with. 

And then I noticed it. 

He kept glancing at his watch. Over and over again, casually. As if his mind was elsewhere, as if he had somewhere to be, something else pulling at him. Confusion flickered inside me. Why wasn’t he engaging? Why did he look so detached, so preoccupied? 

Before I could dwell on it longer, the doors to the council chamber creaked open. 

Cole stepped in. He leaned down toward Alexander and whispered something in his ear. I couldn’t hear the words, but I saw the way Alexander’s eyes sharpened, his posture straightening slightly. 

He nodded once. 

He looked over the council, then lifted his hand slightly. 

“May I have your attention, please.” 

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