Chapter 23: The Council’s Judgment

There was a lot of tension in the council chamber. The weight of their stares, some unreadable, some piercing with suspicion, was palpable. I stood apart from Redwater's council, the pack's most powerful leaders, at the long wooden table in the middle of the room.  

With his arms folded across his chest and an expression as unreadable as ever, Derek stood at the head of the table. Elder Vaughn sat to his right, examining me with a twitchy grey beard. Beta Cassius was leaning back in his chair across from him, his piercing green eyes calculating. Murmuring among themselves, some other council members occupied the remaining seats.  

I continued to stand close to the door, my fists clenched. Although this was not yet a formal trial, it could have been.  

"She kept one of ours safe." Derek's firm, authoritative voice broke through the muttering. "That should be enough to start a conversation."  

Elder Vaughn furrowed his brow. What about the danger she poses? She is an omega who is an outsider and has connections to Midnight Moon. His eyes grew piercing. "To Jared."  

The accusation made me tense, but Derek spoke before I could react.  

"Jared's ally is not her."  

Beta Cassius chuckled softly. Doesn't that sound convenient? Are we to assume that she simply happened to wander into our territory, hurt and by herself? He gave a headshake. "There are too many coincidences."  

Derek's mouth clenched. However, she had the option to allow Matthias to pass away. Rather, she rescued him.  

Matthias. Just hours ago, I had aided the warrior.  

Ilara, one of the younger council members, drummed her fingers on the wooden table. It's accurate. She wouldn't have taken the chance of exposing herself if she intended to hurt us.  

Another sneered. Or she's attempting to win people over. Gain our confidence.  

I grew impatient. I yelled, "I wouldn't have bled for it if I wanted to manipulate you." "I would never have risked my life to save a stranger."  

There was silence in the room. I swallowed hard, knowing that I would not gain any allies by defying them, but I was tired of avoiding their suspicions.  

Elder Vaughn put his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "What are you if you're not a spy?" He spoke in a level but sceptical tone. "What are you looking for from us?"  

I let out a slow breath. "A chance to live."  

The council exchanged glances, unreadable expressions shifting between them.  

Cassius insisted, "You were a member of Midnight Moon." "You must have anticipated what was going to happen."  

After a moment of hesitation, I nodded. "Jared is brutal. He won't give up until he achieves his goals. I looked Derek in the eye. "And at the moment, that entails destroying Redwater and everything else that gets in his way."  

There was a heavy silence.  

Ilara rubbed her temples and sighed. "If what she's saying is accurate, we may not have as much time as we thought, even though we already knew conflict was brewing."  

Elder Vaughn gave a headshake. This doesn't alter the possibility that she could be a liability. Jared might use her as a pretext to attack us first if he truly wants her back.  

Derek's face grew serious. "After that, we get ready."  

A low chuckle came from Cassius, but it was devoid of humour. "You wish to get ready for conflict over an omega?"  

Derek caught a glimpse of something too fleeting to describe. Jared won't stop at Claire, so I want to get ready. He will eventually come for us whether or not we reject her.  

Once again, the council dissolved into whispers.  

As I waited for the final decision, my heart was racing, and I stood motionless.  

Elder Vaughn then let out a breath. "We have a vote on it."  

The council members cast their votes one by one.  

Fearing the danger, some voted to send me away. Others, albeit reluctantly, decided to allow me to remain—under observation.  

Despite the close vote, the decision was ultimately made.  

"You stay," Derek said in a firm voice. "But in my circumstances."  

I nodded and swallowed hard. Although I hadn't gained their complete trust, I did have something for the time being.  

An opportunity.

Following Derek's statement, there was a heavy silence, but the tension in the room persisted. Even after they had made their decision, I could still feel the pressure of their scrutiny and their scepticism.  

With a sharp exhale, Elder Vaughn leaned back in his chair and continued to stare at me. With a raised eyebrow, he repeated, "Under your conditions?" "And what's that all about, Alpha?"  

Derek's face was still unreadable. She doesn't stray outside the inner perimeter; she stays inside the centre of our territory. It is forbidden to leave her alone outside the packhouse. And we take swift action if she exhibits any indication of betraying us.  

His words made me swallow hard. "Deal with it" can mean many different things, none of which are good.  

Cassius laughed. "So we're sheltering and caring for a possible enemy inside our walls?" He looked at Derek with his piercing green eyes. "I hope you understand how much risk you're taking."  

"I understand," Derek said, his tone tinged with finality. "But, Beta, I don't make decisions based on fear."  

Cassius' jaw tightened at the challenge in his words, but he remained silent.  

It was Ilara who broke the silence first. "We might benefit from keeping Jared here if she is indeed getting ready for battle." She looked over at me, evaluating. "She may have information that could be useful to us."  

I gave a nod. "I am aware that Jared will not stop with Midnight Moon, but I am unsure of the full scope of his plans. He has always had a voracious appetite for power. He has already formed a partnership with Alpha Darius of the Obsidian Claw Pack, Lila's father.  

Derek's face darkened at that point, and the council began to murmur.  

"Claw of Obsidian?" Vaughn, Elder, mumbled. "That is... concerning."  

With his earlier defiance giving way to something more solemn, Cassius remarked, "They're one of the strongest packs in the region." "There may be a real war on our hands if Jared has them on board."  

My throat constricted. "I ran for that reason."  

There was silence for a moment.  

Something flickered in Derek's eyes as they met mine; it was intense but unreadable. Then he gave a nod. Later, we'll talk about battle tactics. Claire remains monitored for the time being.  

Elder Vaughn rubbed his temples and sighed. "It's settled then."  

After adjourning the meeting, the council started to leave the room, their whispered conversations echoing throughout the room.  

Derek's voice interrupted me as I was about to walk away. Claire. One word.  

I paused, then turned to him. With only Cassius and Ilara hovering close to the door, the room was nearly deserted.  

Derek looked at me for a while, his piercing eyes unreadable. "You realise that there won't be another chance if you betray us?"  

Stable, I looked him in the eye. "I have no motive to turn on you."  

He looked into my eyes as though assessing my sincerity. Then he nodded after a pause. "All right. Because you won't live to regret anything you try.  

Even though I was shivering, I kept my fear to myself. I raised my chin instead. "Comprehensive."  

Derek just watched me turn and leave without saying anything else.  

However, the weight of tonight's decision was weighing heavily on my mind as I left the chamber. What was the duration of my reservation in Redwater?  

More significantly, how long did we have before Jared approached us?