Chapter 13 Mr. Sherlock’s Intervention
Meira's POV
The Alpha King’s gaze shifted from the elders to the man standing at the far end of the hall, his son. The air grew thick, heavy, almost electric. You could feel the tension pulsing between father and son like an invisible battle of wills.
The Alpha Prince didn’t flinch under his father’s stare. His expression was unreadable, calm on the surface, but his eyes, those piercing blue eyes, burned with quiet fury.
I expected the Alpha King to speak first, maybe to shut him down before he could interfere. But he didn’t. He just sat there, arms crossed, waiting… almost daring his son to continue.
“There isn’t much evidence that she did it,” the prince said finally, his voice low but steady.
A ripple of murmurs ran through the courtroom. My breath caught. No one had dared question the trial so far—not the elders, not the council. But he had.
He turned his gaze to the elders, and I could see the anger simmering beneath his calm tone. “Is this how things work now? Anyone can come up here, point a finger, and you all rush to pass judgment? Because of what… her nature?”
His eyes flickered to me for the briefest moment, and I swear my heart stopped. There was something powerful about that look—not pity, not exactly kindness either. Something else. Something that made my chest tighten and my stomach twist.
He continued, his voice sharper now. “You’d condemn her without proof, just because she’s a hybrid?”
The chief elder stepped forward quickly, his face tight with unease. “Your Highness, with all due respect—”
“Silence,” the prince snapped. The word echoed through the hall, laced with authority that sent a chill down my spine.
Even though he was defending me, I couldn’t help the wave of fear that washed over me. His power was overwhelming. It wasn’t like when I saw him in the woods that night when he’d seemed almost human. Here, in this hall, he was every inch the Alpha Prince. Dominant, commanding, and dangerous.
He turned his attention back to his father. “You don’t have enough reason to take her out of the pack,” he said firmly.
The Alpha King didn’t answer immediately. He just looked at his son long and hard, assessing. The silence stretched painfully. Then, with a slow sigh, he leaned back in his chair. His expression was unreadable.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Claribel’s and Aunt Elizabeth’s faces twist in silent frustration. They’d been expecting my banishment. They wanted it. But now, with the Alpha Prince’s words hanging in the air, they looked… uncertain.
Maybe, just maybe, the Moon Goddess hadn’t forgotten me after all.
The Alpha King’s voice finally broke the silence. “Very well,” he said, his tone low and measured. “She won’t be banished.”
A stunned hush fell over the room.
My breath caught. Did I just hear him right?
But before I could even process what that meant, the alpha prince added, “She won’t walk free either. From this day forward, she will serve in the royal palace—as a servant. Let her live among us but beneath us. A reminder that mercy still exists… barely.”
A heavy weight settled in my chest. It wasn’t freedom, but it was better than exile. At least I’d live.
The elders exchanged uncertain glances, but no one dared challenge the decision. The chief elder bowed his head slightly. “As the Alpha commands,” he said quietly.
My knees felt weak with relief. My heart was still pounding, but slower now. This wasn’t victory, not even close, but it wasn’t death either. And after what I’d just been through, that was enough.
I would serve. I would endure. I would survive.
The guards grabbed my arms again, but this time their grip was less cruel. They led me out of the courtroom, down a long hallway lined with portraits of former rulers. My mind was spinning. I could still feel the Alpha Prince’s gaze on me, the way he’d spoken for me when no one else had.
Why? Why would he defend me?
We reached a door at the far end of the hall. The guards pushed it open, revealing a large, clean room. It wasn’t luxurious, but it wasn’t a cell either. There was a bed, a small table, and a window that let in soft light.
One of the guards shoved a plate into my hands. “Eat,” he barked, his tone sharp but not cruel. “You’ll need your strength.”
I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the smell hit me. My stomach growled in response.
He dropped a folded set of clothes on the bed. “Put these on. Freshen up. Your work starts immediately.” He turned to leave, then glanced back. “Don’t test the Alpha Prince’s patience.”
The door slammed behind him.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the food, at the plain gray dress on the bed, and at the new reality settling around me.
A soft knock came from the corner. I turned sharply, startled, only to find a girl standing there, maybe my age, maybe a bit younger. She had soft brown curls and bright, curious eyes that seemed too full of light for a place like this.
“Hello?” She said cheerfully, smiling so wide it almost hurt to look at.
I blinked. “Hello?”
“You must be the new one,” she said, stepping closer. “I’m Jacinthe.”
Her smile didn’t falter, not even when I stared at her like she’d lost her mind.
“I might have a nightmare if you keep smiling like that,” I said, half-joking, half-serious.
She laughed, a bubbly sound that didn’t belong in a place filled with fear. “You’re different. Most new servants cry or stay quiet. You make jokes. I like that.”
“Well, I don’t,” I muttered, sitting down on the bed. “Smiling that much looks… suspicious.”
She giggled again. “Maybe. But it helps.” She tilted her head. “So what are you? Wolf? Which? Both?”
I hesitated. “Hybrid,” I admitted softly. “Half witch, half wolf.”
Her eyes widened a little. “That’s rare. I’m a vampire and a wolf. I don’t even know who my parents were. Guess we’re both the odd ones here.”
“Guess so.”
Her friendliness was strange, disarming even. I wasn’t used to it. It had been so long since anyone had spoken to me without hate in their voice.
I forced a small smile. “I’m Meira.”
“Nice to meet you, Meira.”
Before I could ask her anything else, there was a loud knock at the door. This one wasn’t gentle.
Jacinthe froze, her smile fading. The handle turned, and the door swung open without waiting for an answer.
A tall guard stepped inside, his face expressionless. His eyes found mine immediately.
“The Alpha Prince seeks you,” he said flatly.
My stomach dropped. The words hit harder than any shove ever could.
Jacinthe looked at me with wide eyes, whispering, “Good luck,” as the guard motioned for me to follow.
My pulse quickened, my thoughts racing. Why would he want to see me? What did he want now?
As I stepped into the hallway, the door closing behind me, I could still feel my heart pounding in my chest fast, uneven, and terrified.
And in that moment, one thought flashed through my mind like a warning:
The Alpha Prince might have saved me… But that didn’t mean I was safe.