Chapter 72: When The Table Turned
A soft knock broke the silence. “Come in,” he said without turning around.
The door opened, and Beta Juls and Gamma Roderick stepped in. Their wounds from the battle with the rogues had almost completely healed, thanks to the healers — but the memory of the fight still burned in their eyes.
“We’ve finished tightening security around the territory,” Juls reported. “No suspicious activity has been detected. The warriors are on high alert.”
“Good,” Aldus replied. “We can’t afford any interference tomorrow. Not when so much is at stake.”
Gamma Roderick stepped forward, concerned etched on his face. “Are you sure about summoning those new witnesses, Your Highness? If the Moonlight Pack finds out before the trial—”
“They won’t,” Aldus cut him off firmly, his voice like steel. “This stays between us and the Elder Council. I will not allow Aldrake or his allies another chance to twist the truth. The people I’ve chosen are not fools. They were there that night. They saw what really happened.”
Beta Juls exchanged a look with Roderick before nodding. “Understood, Your Majesty. Everything is prepared as you requested.”
Aldus finally turned to face them, his expression calm but deadly serious. “This trial isn’t just about Livia. It’s about the integrity of this pack — about justice. And I will tear down every false witness one by one if I must.”
There was a fire in his eyes that neither Beta nor Gamma had seen in a long time — not just the fury of a King, but the fierce determination of a mate fighting for the woman who held his heart.
Meanwhile, inside the clinic, Livia sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was still pale, her body still weak, but the spark in her eyes had returned.
She ran a hand over the simple white dress she had chosen when Ria brought some dress she could wear for tomorrow— nothing too extravagant, but dignified and strong, like the woman she was determined to show them tomorrow.
“You’re ready”, Lilly whispered in her mind.
Livia nodded softly.
“I have to be. I won’t let them break me again”.
Ria entered quietly with a tray of tea. “Luna… are you sure you’re strong enough to attend tomorrow’s trial? The healers said you should still be resting.”
“I don’t have a choice,” Livia replied gently, though her voice held an unshakable edge. “I will not hide while they tear apart my name. I’ll stand there and fight — for myself, for my wolf and for the truth.”
Ria lowered her gaze but couldn’t hide her admiration. “Then we’ll all stand with you.”
As the night deepened, preparations continued in every corner of Blood Moon Pack. In the council chamber, the Elders debated the order of questioning. In the warriors’ quarters, blades were oiled and silver cuffs polished.
And in the King's office, Aldus pored over every testimony, memorizing every lie that had been told — and how he would crush it tomorrow.
Just before midnight, he made his way silently back to the clinic. Livia was asleep, her breathing soft and even. For a long moment, Aldus stood at the foot of her bed, simply watching her — the woman who had unknowingly turned his world upside down.
“Tomorrow,” he murmured under his breath, “I will end this nightmare. For you.”
He brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead before leaving the room, the promise still burning in his chest.
Far away, in the Moonlight Pack, Amber slammed her glass against the table, rage seething behind her eyes.
“They think they can outsmart me?” she hissed to Aldrake. “Let them try. By the end of tomorrow, Livia will be nothing but a memory.”
But beneath her fury was something far more dangerous — fear. The first trial hadn’t gone as smoothly as she planned. And if anything slipped tomorrow, everything she’d worked for would crumble.
As the Blood Moon territory fell into uneasy sleep, the moon climbed higher — a silent witness to the storm that was about to break.
The second trial was coming.
And this time, no one would leave the hall unchanged.
The morning of the second trial dawned heavy and sharp — the air itself seemed to hold its breath as the Blood Moon Pack’s grand hall filled once more with bodies and murmurs. From the lowest-ranked wolves to the most respected Alphas, every step echoed with tension.
The once gleaming marble floor was now worn by restless pacing, and the towering windows allowed beams of silver light to cut through the haze of anticipation.
Whispers snaked through the crowd like fire seeking fuel.
“Will the Luna be present today?” one voice murmured.
“I heard she’s still too weak to stand.”
“She won’t escape this time,” another hissed, laced with spite.
“The truth will come out.”
Despite the low hum of gossip and speculation, the hall was bursting with energy — the kind that preceded a storm. Elders in ceremonial robes took their seats on the elevated platform, their expressions unreadable.
Members of the Blood Moon and visiting packs stood on opposite sides of the room, each side visibly divided by loyalty, hatred, or fear. The weight of unspoken accusations hung thick in the air.
Near the front, Amber sat with feigned composure, her lips twisted into a subtle, victorious smile. She looked every inch the wronged Alpha’s mate — dressed in a flowing silver gown that reflected the morning light, every move calculated to draw sympathy. But beneath her placid surface, her fingers fidgeted against her lap.
The conversation she overheard the previous day — whispers of a postponed trial and a potential change in the witness lineup — gnawed at her calm. Something is happening behind the scenes, she thought. Something she don’t know about.
Her eyes darted to the throne, still empty. Aldus had not arrived yet. Neither had Livia.
Then, as if summoned by the collective breath of the hall, the heavy double doors opened.
A hush swept across the chamber.
Two royal guards stepped in first, their spears crossed in silent command. Behind them walked Aldus, his presence alone enough to silence the last of the murmurs.
He looked every inch the Lycan King — tall, powerful, and cold as steel — but those closest to him could see the storm lurking beneath the surface. His gaze swept the crowd, lingering briefly on Amber before shifting toward the entrance once more.
And then she appeared.