Leah stood by the corner, twisting her fingers in anxiety. Her hands stopped moving when her eyes met mine.
"Leah," I whispered.
Although I could see how much they’d tried to clean her up, it was still very obvious the suffering she must have gone through in Alexander’s hands. She had drastically lost weight and now looked malnourished; her eyes were sunken with baggy eye bags underneath them. Her ribs seemed to be sticking out of the simple gown they’d put her in.
Leah managed a sad smile, reflecting the pain in her eyes. "How have you been?"
"Fine." I inched closer to her until I was close enough to take her calloused hands in mine. "How have you been?"
"She’s been doing fine," Elena pitched in quickly. "She missed you."
I glanced at Elena and Leah. "Why are you here?" I asked Elena.
"I heard about what happened, and I thought this was the perfect time to reunite you with your friend. I remember how close the both of you used to be."
I narrowed my eyes. "What do you want?"
It was obvious Elena didn't just decide to come here for no reason, and for someone whose brother I had killed, she was being very calm... And she was here with Leah?
"You killed my brother, Sophia. Don't you think you owe me an apology? He was my last living relative."
"Your brother was a despicable piece of shit, Elena. Believe me when I say I would do it all over again."
"That is a harsh thing to say."
"It doesn't come close to the harsh things your brother did to me. And may I remind you, Elena, that you were a witness to everything?"
Her face paled, but I could see beyond the act, so I spoke before she did.
"You have no right to come here and try to emotionally blackmail me, Elena. You are just as horrible as your brother, and I am glad he is dead. There is no way you would make me feel guilty over it, so if that is what you are here for, then I suggest you wrap it up!"
She flinched, obviously shocked by how I spoke to her, but I was exhausted. I no longer had to pretend that I was scared of her. That life was now in the past, and right now, I was in my pack, and I could talk to her however I wanted. I was no longer an object to exert her frustrations upon.
"I see you've grown," she mused.
"And I see you haven't. I see you found Leah a fitting punching bag after I left. You are still a child who holds so much hate against the world. You pour out your anger on people lesser than you because you are such a coward. You could never face the truth about yourself."
Her face contorted into a mask of rage. "How dare you!"
And she lifted her hand to strike me, but I remained very still, my voice tightening when I warned, "Don't you dare lay a finger on me, Elena, or I swear I shall make you regret coming here."
Slowly, her hands dropped, her mouth widening slightly.
I gently placed my palm against her face and tapped it lightly. "Best be careful, Elena. I am well within my rights to take your beloved pack from you, considering I murdered the bastard you call a brother."
Her eyes blazed with fury, but wisely, she held her tongue.
Stepping back, I continued, "However, I won't stoop to your level. You can have the scraps and pieces of the Dark Wood pack to yourself. I'd rather not be associated with a loss like that. Now, get out of my pack, and thank you for bringing Leah along. You may leave without her."
With one final scathing glare, brimming with unspoken promises, she stormed out.
****
"Are you ready?" Callan asked me.
I nodded, exhaling a breath. "Let's go."
He led the way, surrounded by a few warriors, and we made our way to the high seats of the execution grounds.
The place was packed with members of the Black Tide Pack who had come to witness the event. We had returned a few days ago, and it was finally time to pass judgment on those who had played a part in the treachery during our mating ceremony.
I sat down next to Callan, and he squeezed my hand before announcing loudly, "Bring them in!"
The warriors escorted six prisoners with their hands and legs tied. They walked reluctantly, following the lead of the warrior in front of them.
My heart pounded as I looked at each prisoner's face. The first three were servants who had aided Isla in her plans. The next were Dimitri, Grace, and Amelia.
Amelia's eyes bore into our hands, and then she shifted her gaze to my face, a hatred I had never seen before evident in her eyes. I gave her a blank stare in return.
"Step forward," the executioner ordered.
The first prisoner trembled in fear as he stepped forward, a middle-aged man.
"You have been accused of treason. You conspired with the late Luna Isla in an attempt to overthrow the Alpha and his mate. What do you have to say for yourself?" the executioner asked.
The man looked up at Callan, tears rolling down his face. "I never meant to. Please forgive me, Alpha, I—"
"For the unforgivable act of treason, I, with the power bestowed upon me as Alpha of this pack, sentence you to death by hanging," Callan declared in a cold voice.
I squeezed his hand as the first prisoner was led to the gallows in the middle of the field. The executioner placed the noose around the man's neck and stepped down. The crowd fell silent as the platform was swept away, leaving the prisoner dangling.
My heart stopped and I found it hard to tear my eyes away from him when he stopped struggling and went still.
“It's okay,” Callan whispered. “He deserved it.”
The executioner called out the two other prisoners next in line, and they received the same sentence. I felt myself stiffen when it got to Dimitri's turn.
Callan relaxed in his seat. "The Luna will pass judgment for the rest of the prisoners," he announced.
My head snapped toward him, questions in my eyes, but I ignored the sharp pain it caused.
He nodded encouragingly. "Go ahead, do whatever you feel is right."
My eyes ran through the three of them again, and this time I noticed Grace had finally lifted her head to look at her brother, regret in her expression. Callan, however, expertly avoided her gaze, not once looking her way or at Amelia, whose eyes reflected betrayal as she watched him.
The executioner spoke to Dimitri, "Step forward."
I stared at the man I had come to know as family, the one with whom I had shared so many silent nights, the one who had comforted me with his presence, but had also reported every one of my actions to my uncle.
"Dimitri of the Mystic Hollow Pack, you have been accused of being in allegiance with the traitor, Silviu, and attempted to sabotage the Luna. You also betrayed her and kept tabs on her movements, reporting them to her enemy. What do you have to say in your defense?"
Dimitri looked up at me. "I am guilty, please punish me accordingly."
My eyes went to his hands, focusing on the finger he had lost because of my uncle.
Clearing my throat, I said, "With the knowledge that you were forced and had no choice but to do Silviu’s bidding, you will be returned to the Mystic Hollow as a prisoner where you shall serve time for ten years. Upon your release, you shall serve my family with complete loyalty for the rest of your life."
Shock displayed on his face, and I saw an overwhelming sense of relief weigh down his sagging shoulders.
He bowed his head and managed to speak, his words barely coherent, choked with emotion. "Thank you, Luna. May your reign be long."
Grace stepped forward, and whispers swept through the crowd at her presence. I could tell everyone was waiting to hear what I would do; she was Callan’s sister, the Alpha’s sister, and the previous Alpha’s daughter.
"You've been accused of lying, betraying your brother, the Alpha, going against the values of the pack, and being in cohorts with those who sought the downfall of the Black Tide Pack. What do you say in defense of yourself?"
She glanced at Callan, and this time he watched her with a cold, emotionless expression.
"Callan…"
The executioner cut her off. "How do you plead?"
She shook her head, tears running down her face.ead, tears running down her face.
I swallowed before finally speaking. “For your crimes, I sentence you to a complete banishment from the Black Tide Pack and into the life of a rogue for the rest of your life.”
From beside me, I felt Callan let out a breath before he squeezed my hand gratefully. I could tell he still cared about Grace but what she’d done was unforgivable and he felt betrayed by it.
Grace was led away just as the executioner led Amelia forward.
She smirked at me and folded her arms across her chest, and instantly, I knew what she was thinking. There was no trace of fear in her expression, and I knew it was because of the sentences I had given the two people before her.
Unlike Callan, who would sentence someone to death, I found such a punishment too harsh, even though Amelia deserved it. I didn't think I could carry it out.
"Amelia," the executioner began, "you've been accused of lying to the Alpha, forming a force with your aunt in an attempt to murder the Alpha, initiating more pack members into your treasonous plans, attempting to murder the Luna, causing chaos in the pack, and finally, of killing your father, Vaughn. How do you plead?"
She ran belittling eyes through the executioner before they flickered to me. "Not guilty. I am being framed."
"No, Amelia," Callan spoke up, his voice surprisingly calm. "You are not."
"It was all Isla's fault, Callan. You've known me all our lives, she got into my head with all of the things that happened with your mother and mine, but I refused to do her bidding because I knew we were meant to be mated. I knew you cared about me, but that was until you brought... her." Her eyes turned to me with a scathing gaze. "She ruined it all, he ruined us, and Isla used her presence against me. Isla, she was... She was so cunning and managed to get everyone to do what she wanted."
Callan watched her with disgust. "Isla didn't kill your father."
"He deserved it," she said, her face a cold mask.
"And she didn't force you to do any of the horrible things you did, Amelia. You did them because that is the kind of rotten person you are, so do not dare blame anyone for your actions."
Her face fell. "It was Isla, I promise."
I'd had enough of hearing her speak. "For your crimes against this pack," I began, and I noticed her roll her eyes before she turned them to me, a bored expression on her face, "I sentence you to death by beheading."
Amelia’s hands dropped, and to my sick pleasure, she fell to her knees, an ear-splitting scream escaping from her.
"No! No! No!" she continued to scream as the executioner and three other warriors forcefully led her to the second platform, her feet kicking, her voice ringing in the air.
I didn't break contact with Amelia until she was placed on the platform, and her head was forced into an iron panel that held it in place. Amidst her thrashing and screaming, her eyes finally met mine, and she cried out, "I hate you! I hope you die a horrible death, the both of you!"
"Goodnight, Amelia," I whispered, a small smile on my lips just as the executioner’s blade came down on her neck. I found that I didn’t feel sick seeing Amelia’s headless body collapse to the ground.
“It is done,” I said to Callan. “It’s over now.”
And he nodded, pulling me in for a kiss. “It’s over now,” he repeated.