Chapter 77 Between Rejection or Punishment (Part 2)
Chapter 77 Between Rejection or Punishment (Part 2)
The hall’s heavy silence lingered for only a moment before a low, commanding voice shattered it.
“Now that the one responsible for the Luna’s curse has been apprehended…”
All eyes turned toward the speaker — a tall, silver-haired elder from the Dark Feather Pack Council. His aura was heavy with authority, and his sharp, calculating eyes swept over every soul gathered in the chamber.
“…it’s time,” he continued, his voice echoing against the stone walls, “to address the other sins that have been festering beneath this pack’s surface.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd like a wave, their confusion quickly shifting to unease.
“What sins?” one of the pack warriors whispered.
The elder took a deliberate step forward, his gaze now fixed on the trio at the both side of it all — Amber, Aldrake, and Livia.
“Infidelity,” he declared. “Neglect. Deception. For too long, these crimes have been brushed aside, hidden under excuses and lies. But if we are to bring true justice to this pack, then we cannot stop at punishing the one who cast the curse. We must also reveal who betrayed their oaths and who abandoned their responsibilities.”
The room fell utterly still. Even the air seemed to freeze.
Amber’s expression faltered, just for a heartbeat. Aldrake’s jaw tensed, his hands clenching at his sides.
“Do not think for a second that we are blind,” the Dark Feather elder said, his tone sharpening.
“We have seen the truth that others pretend not to see. We have witnessed the betrayal of bonds — the breaking of trust between mates. We have witnessed the neglect of blood ties, the abandonment of duty as parents and leaders. And now…” He paused, letting the silence grow thick and unbearable.
“…it is time to decide who among you bears the weight of those sins.”
Gasps echoed across the hall.
“The curse is only a symptom of a deeper rot within this family,” the elder continued. “And unless we expose the roots — all of them — this pack will never heal.”
All three — Amber, Aldrake, and Livia — stood frozen under the weight of those words. Amber’s heart thudded in her chest, but she forced herself to maintain her composure. Aldrake’s gaze swept over the council, searching for any sign of accusation, any hint of their evidence.
And Livia… she stood trembling, lost and broken, realizing that the nightmare was far from over.
Because now, the trial was no longer about who cursed her.
Now, the question was far more dangerous:
Who was truly guilty — of betrayal, of abandonment, of breaking the sacred vows of their pack and family?
The hall was plunged into a heavy silence, the tension so thick it felt like the air itself could shatter. The Dark Feather elder’s gaze hardened as he slowly raised a sealed folder in his hand.
“You speak of loyalty and innocence,” he said coldly, “yet the truth tells a far darker tale.”
Gasps echoed around the room as two more council members stepped forward, each holding parchments and bound scrolls.
“These,” the elder continued, his voice rising, “are records — testimony, letters, and surveillance reports — proving the ongoing affair between Alpha Aldrake and Lady Amber. Evidence that not only did they betray their oaths as mates, but they conspired to manipulate Luna and orchestrate the downfall of her bloodline.”
The crowd erupted. Shocked murmurs swept the hall like wildfire.
Amber’s face paled, her carefully composed mask cracking for the first time. “That’s a lie!” she shouted, her voice trembling as her hands clenched into fists. “Those records are fabricated! Someone is trying to frame us!”
Aldrake stepped forward, his voice booming over the chaos. “I have served this pack with loyalty and strength for years. Do you truly believe I would betray my Luna — my mate — for something so meaningless? This is a desperate attempt to divide us before the tournament season begins!”
The elders remained unmoved, their ancient eyes cold and unblinking. “We do not accuse without proof,” the Dark Feather elder replied. “And the evidence speaks louder than your excuses. Infidelity. Betrayal. Neglect. Every sin is written here.”
The hall erupted again — accusations, gasps, and whispers filling the air. But Amber and Aldrake stood firm, clinging to their roles as victims.
“They are twisting the truth!” Amber cried, forcing tears down her cheeks. “I loved Livia as my own sister, and this is how she repays me? By spreading lies to ruin me?”
“She is doing this to gain sympathy,” Aldrake added, pointing at Livia. “She has always been jealous, always resentful. And now she uses false accusations to destroy this pack from within!”
The elders exchanged knowing glances. Their patience had run its course.
From the shadows of the council chamber, five robed figures stepped forward — the Five Ancient Elders, beings older and far more powerful than any living wolf in the room. Their presence commanded silence instantly.
“It seems,” one of them spoke, voice deep and ageless, “that the truth is being buried beneath a web of manipulation.”
He turned his gaze to Livia — broken, trembling, but still standing. “And so, we offer a solution that will end this trial once and for all. If you wish for this chapter to be closed, Luna Livia… reject Alpha Aldrake as your mate.”
The hall gasped as one.
Aldrake’s face turned to stone, a flash of panic sparking in his eyes. He knew exactly what that meant — if Livia rejected him now, his bond to her would shatter, his claim to power would crumble, and their pack’s standing in the Great Trials would plummet before the games even began.
“No.” The word left his lips before he could stop it. “No, I will not allow this.”
He turned sharply toward the council, his composure slipping into desperation.
“I will forgive her,” he said, his voice loud and firm, “if she stands before everyone and admits her sins — if she begs for my forgiveness for the pain she’s caused this pack and my name.”
The crowd erupted again, some nodding, others sneering. It was a trap — a public humiliation designed to strip Livia of her dignity and force her back under his control.
Livia’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the man she once called a mate. Forgiveness? After everything he and Amber had done?
Inside her, her wolf stirred — a deep, ancient presence whispering through their bond.
> “We have two paths.” Lilly said, “If we reject him now, we are free. Free from him, from his pack, from their chains. But the law will not protect us — they will hunt us, use the rejection as a weapon against us. If we do not reject him, we remain bound. Our freedom slips away. But we could use his arrogance against him… and destroy him from within.” <
Livia closed her eyes, trembling as tears traced down her cheeks. All eyes were on her. The council. The pack. Amber. Aldrake.
This was more than a trial — it was a turning point.
Would she bow her head and admit to sins she did not commit?
Would she speak the words that would sever their bond and change everything?
Her wolf’s growl echoed in her mind.
> “Choose, Livia. Freedom… or vengeance.”
She lifted her gaze, a storm raging behind her tearful eyes — and as she opened her mouth to speak…
— the chamber held its breath.