Chapter 53 Chapter fifty-three
~Ellie~
"A forbidden act is occurring in this pack.... two Alphas sharing one Luna."
I realize that I am the person referenced in this letter.
However, it’s a complete lie, a lie from the pit of hell.
Me, involved with two Alphas? The only man I’ve ever been intimate with is Claus, and I have never had sexual relations with Sylvia, even though we have found ourselves in awkward situations; sex is simply not part of it.
My hands shake as I grasp the letter tightly, and a chill runs through my veins.
Cyprus knows this is untrue. She knows I wasn’t involved with Sylvia, so why is she lying and trying to create trouble for me? Thank goodness the others didn't manage to read the letter; otherwise, what would my fate have been? I need to find her.
I have to track her down and confront her. She owes me an explanation for why she left such a disturbing message that could ruin me.
"Ellie," Claus called, pulling me from my thoughts. He must have noticed my reaction to the letter. He saw me trembling as I held it tightly, and I just hope he isn’t becoming suspicious.
"What is it? Do you know something?" he asked.
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I do."
"You do?" Claus’s eyes widened.
A loud murmur filled the room. The elders and scholars whispered among themselves, astonished and speechless at my declaration. Sylvia, who had been sitting in the shadows with his chin resting on his hand, stood and moved into the light.
"Tell us what the letter is about," Claus urged, speaking quickly.
I nervously swallowed hard. "The letter states: there is a betrayer within the pack, and this person is leaking secrets to outsiders," I twisted the words. I could tell them the truth.
That would create chaos within the pack if they understood what the letter meant. The members wouldn’t handle the fact that their Alphas were involved sleeping with one Luna, even though the letter is a lie. No one would grasp it. No one would.
"What do you mean by that?" Claus shouted. "A betrayer within the pack?"
The elders looked stunned. "So, there is a traitor among us. Who could it be?"
The murmurs among the elders and scholars grew louder, turning the courtroom into a marketplace. "
Claus, stop," Sylvia interjected, stepping forward. "Consider this more carefully. The poisoned water. The missing healer. All these events are mysterious, and what Ellie just said makes a great deal of sense." He elaborated on my words.
"Yes, what both the Luna and Alpha Sylvia said is true," one elder supported.
"Yes, I agree. Everything happening in the pack does add up," another added.
The noise from the crowd continued to swell.
On the other hand, I felt a sense of triumph. I was celebrating internally; at last, everyone was believing my fabrications. Now it was just a matter of time before Claus dismissed his doubts.
"How did you comprehend the language in which this letter was written?" a voice rang out from the crowd.
The joy I was feeling vanished in that instant.
Nicholas emerged from the masses. I had always heard tales about this man—the most knowledgeable and educated member of the pack. He might have been annoyed that he couldn’t read the letter while I could. What a jerk.
"Certainly, we’d like to know," the elders insisted.
I glanced at Claus, but he also seemed eager to learn how I was about to interpret the letter. My gaze shifted to Sylvia, my eyes pleading for his assistance, but he merely shrugged. My eyes moved from Sylvia back to the elders. The elders stood firm, demanding answers.
“It’s Luvendaic,” I stated hurriedly.
Everyone exchanged bewildered looks. Claus looked at me intently. I offered a sheepish smile to reassure them of my statement, even though it was a fabrication. There is no language called Luvendaic; I made that up since I couldn't possibly reveal that it was Hebrew.
Claus raised his eyebrows and mouthed “Luvendaic,” before asking, “How did you learn this language?”
“From a distant uncle,” I lied effortlessly. Thank goodness my brain was sharp enough to think quickly.
Claus nodded in understanding. I nearly lost control of my bladder, I breath a sigh of relief as I realized I was able to fool everyone with my falsehood.
“Then who is betraying us?” Claus asked.
I was struck with shock. I hadn’t anticipated him posing that question. I hadn’t even prepared any response before I started fabricating. Now, every lie was turning back on me. What excuse was I going to come up with now, as I found myself out of ideas?
I surveyed the courtroom, contemplating what to say next when I spotted him—Roger, entering from outside the courtroom. My eyes tracked him like a bee.