Chapter 21 Melanie's story
Amelia’s P.O.V.
“In the end, I only want to say one thing. All the people in my group became rogue for various reasons, but they never involved themselves in hurting innocent people. They tried to earn their bread by honest means and stayed away from all the packs around to avoid any conflict with packs. Most of them had weak wolves because of the treatment they received in their packs and the banishment.”
I paused and took a deep breath. They all listened to me with expressionless faces. I knew it was hard to make them believe what I said, but I tried my best to be convincing enough to make them think about my proposal.
“We only want to live a normal and peaceful life just like other packs. Being recognized as a pack will also provide all the information on us to the administration here. The administration can keep tracks on us, and our businesses, a beneficial condition for them.”
I finished calmly and sat down on my chair. I closed my eyes because I was now having a severe headache.
“Here. Your med.” Arthur said to me through mind-link. I slowly raised my hand in front of him, and he put a tablet on my hand under the table.
The silence in the room was suffocating, and I felt as if I was waiting for them to give my verdict.
I threw the tablet in my mouth and gulped it down with water.
“Ms. Locke.” I opened my eyes when someone called me. Arthur immediately took the glass of water from my hand.
“I am Anthony Collins, the advisor.” He introduced himself calmly.
“The evidence that you provided of abuse related to some of your team members needs verification from us. I am sure that you are aware of this, right?” he asked me calmly, no disdain, or hatred in his voice.
But it didn’t mean that I could take it as progress in our case.
“I am very well aware of this, Alpha Collins. In fact, one of them is from the year when you joined the council as an intern. It’s related to a runaway pregnant Luna who was later found dead outside her pack borders, but the pack never found the pup.”
I didn’t know if he remembered that case or not, but I tried.
“Luna Melanie Cooper from the Black Hawk Pack.” Beta Hunter exclaimed aloud in shock.
I heard a few gasps, but I kept my face neutral.
“Luna Melanie is dead, Ms. Locke. Why did you bring her case now?” Advisor Collins asked me sternly.
“Her mate blamed rogues for her death, but later, after being pressured by her brother, Alpha Corbin Cooper, the palace investigated and found something else.” I looked in Beta Hunter’s direction.
“That pup.” He mumbled and I smiled bitterly this time.
“My leader, Marcus Smith, and his team found Luna Melanie almost dead, holding her daughter, who was also on the verge of death. I….. I wish to produce a recording to get the facts straight.” I said to them calmly.
“Proceed.” The king commanded me coldly.
I took a deep breath and gestured to Arthur to produce that recording.
“Hey, I am Marcus Smith, a rogue. I mean no harm to you and your pup, girl, but you need to let your pup give to me so that I can save her. Please, trust me, and give her to me.” I sucked in a breath when Marcus’s worried voice echoed in the room.
Marcus had a habit of recording his first conversation with the person whom he went to rescue if he or she was badly injured.
For the next few minutes, Marcus and Melanie’s weak and broken voices echo in the room.
Marcus never let me hear this recording. So, I was also startled by what she said on her deathbed.
She cried hard, pleading to Marcus to save her pup and not let anyone, not even her own pack, find out about the existence of the pup. Her voice was weak, and her breathing was shallow.
She was taking her last breaths. Yet she was worried for her pup. She revealed her mate’s betrayal and the reason why he tried to kill her and her pup. It turned out Luna Melanie’s mate didn’t want his firstborn to be a girl.
Arthur held my hand on the table as I was now digging my nails inside my palms.
"She took her last breath in my embrace. She is beautiful and I am sure that her eyes must have had the sparks of life once. Her body has so many stab wounds on her chest and belly. They did everything to kill her pup before her birth." At the end of the recording, Marcus described the situation of Melanie.
"Another victim of abuse, but I am sure that her pack will blame rogues for her death. I am taking her pup with me. The poor girl also has a few severe wounds on her small and frail body. Those monsters didn't even show any mercy on this newborn pup. I will do everything that I can to save the pup. I promise you, Melanie, and I will do everything to fulfil my promise. I am leaving your body here. If no one comes to find you in two days, I will come back and take you away. You deserve a proper burial," Marcus sobbed in the end.
The recorded ended there. Once again, the silence was deathly suffocating.
“Where is that girl, Amelia?” the king asked me after the recording ended.
“I am sorry, my king. I can’t tell you the whereabouts of that girl. This is what we promised Luna Melanie, but I can assure you that she is in good health and is very intelligent. She will be five in two months.” I answered him calmly and politely.
“You are denying your king, Ms. Locke.” Someone yelled at me angrily.
“I am keeping the promise made to a dying mother, honorable counsellor. You heard her. How scared she was for her pup even when she was taking her last breath.” I clarified my stance on this matter.
The silence fell in the room again. “I need to check the authenticity of the recording.” Beta Hunter said to us in a troubled tone, shattering the silence.
“Arthur.” I signalled him to hand over the recorder to them with a jerk of my head. This wasn’t the original recording but a copy of that, and I trusted Marcus on this.
“You have submitted fifty names with what kind of abuse they endured before running away or being banished by their previous packs. I am sure that you don’t have any problem if we want to verify them with our records, Ms. Locke?” Alpha Collins asked me calmly.
“I expected this, Alpha Collins. This is the only way through which you can get the proof of our claim and request.” I replied to him calmly.
“You came prepared.” He remarked and I smiled politely but didn’t reply.