Chapter 130 Kaden's POV
I slammed my hands on the council table so hard the wood cracked.
"She. Is. Innocent."
Elder Marcus didn't even flinch. "Your conviction doesn't change the evidence, Alpha. Elara prepared the meal. She served you the food you were poisoned with. Those are facts."
"Facts without context! Someone tampered with the ingredients before she even started cooking!"
"Do you have proof of that?"
"Not yet, but-"
"Then we have nothing to discuss." Elder Rowan leaned back in his chair. "Until you can provide concrete evidence that someone else poisoned you, the charges against Elara stand."
We would be going in circles for three hours. Three hours of me presenting arguments, then dismissing every single one. Three hours of watching them refuse to see reason.
"She is carrying my child," I said, forcing my voice to stay level.
"Your future Alpha. Are you really willing to execute a pregnant woman? To kill an unborn heir?"
"We are not willing," Elder Vera said.
"But pack law is clear murder of an Alpha is punishable by death. If you had died from that poison-"
"But I didn't die. I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm telling you she didn't do it."
"Your emotional attachment to her is clouding your judgment," Marcus said. "You can't see the situation objectively-"
"Objectively? You want to talk about objectivity?" I stood, my chair scraping against the floor.
"Selena tried to kill Elara three times. Hired rogues a rock through a car window. You gave her chance after chance. But Elara, who has never harmed anyone, gets one accusation and you're ready to execute her?"
"Selena's actions were proven to be crimes of passion. Emotional responses to a difficult situation-"
"And attempted murder of an Alpha isn't a crime of passion? The logic doesn't track!"
"Alpha Kaden," Rowan's voice was sharp. "You need to calm down. You're still recovering. This stress isn't good for your health."
"I don't care about my health! I care about my mate! About the mother of my child! About the woman you're condemning to death based on circumstantial evidence!"
"The evidence is not circumstantial-"
"Yes, it is! Unless you have proof she deliberately poisoned me, unless you have a confession or a witness or something concrete, it's all circumstantial!"
Elder Marcus stood. "This meeting is over. We will reconvene when you're in a more rational state of mind."
"I'm perfectly rational-"
"You're hysterical. And you're clearly not fit to make decisions regarding this case given your personal involvement."
Marcus moved toward the door. "The execution order stands. If and when Elara returns to Blue Moon territory, she will be arrested and tried. If found guilty, she will be executed according to pack law."
"I won't let that happen-"
"You don't have a choice, Alpha. Pack law supersedes even your authority in matters this serious."
They filed out, leaving me standing there alone in the council chamber.
Rage and helplessness warred inside me. I wanted to hit something. Break something. Force them to see reason.
Instead, I headed for the door, determined to find another way. Another angle, another argument that would make them listen.
I made it three steps before my vision went black. I felt myself falling and felt the impact as I hit the ground.
Then nothing.
I woke to the familiar ceiling of the medical wing.
Ethan's face appeared above me. "You collapsed and pushed yourself too hard too soon."
"How long was I out?"
"About an hour. Damian's on his way to check on you."
I tried to sit up, pain lanced through my entire body. "I need to get back to the council need to make them understand-"
"You need to rest, you just came out of a coma two days ago. Your body is still recovering from the poison."
"I don't have time to rest! Elara's life is at stake!"
"And you will be no good to her if you die from pushing yourself too hard." Ethan pressed me back down gently. "Let Damian examine you. Then we'll figure out the next steps."
Damian arrived minutes later, looking exhausted and worried.
"Your vitals are all over the place," he said after a thorough examination. "Heart rate elevated. My blood pressure is too high. You're running yourself into the ground."
"I don't care-"
"Well, I do. You are my patient and my Alpha and I'm not letting you kill yourself." He prepared an injection. "This will help you rest-"
"No. I need to stay awake need to keep fighting-"
"Kaden." Damian's voice was firm. "You can't fight for Elara if you're dead. Let me give you something to calm your system down, let your body heal, then you can resume your campaign."
"Where is she?" I asked desperately. "Where's Elara? I need to see her to know she's safe."
Damian and Ethan exchanged glances.
"She's safe," Ethan said. "That's all you need to know right now."
"That's not enough! I need to see her! Hold her! Tell her I'm fighting for her!"
"You will when you're stronger. When it's safe."
Damian injected the sedative before I could protest. "Sleep now. We will talk more when you wake up."
I tried to fight the medication and tried to stay awake but it pulled me under like a tide. The last thing I heard was Ethan's voice, low and worried.
"He can't keep doing this. He's going to kill himself trying to save her."
"I know but try telling him that."
"Maybe we need to take charge and make decisions for the pack while he recovers. He's in no state to lead right now."
Then darkness took me completely. I woke slowly, awareness returning in pieces. Warm. I was warm. Something was wrapped around my waist.