Chapter 98 THE CONSPIRACY UNRAVELS
Lucian’s Pov
As she spoke I watched the tribunal members' faces. They were listening carefully and I could see they believed her. The evidence was too overwhelming to deny.
When Dr Lake finished speaking the room was silent for a long moment. Then the chairman spoke.
“This is one of the most disturbing cases I have encountered in my time on this tribunal. If what you are saying is true then a grave injustice was done to Celestia and a child was stolen from his rightful mother,” the chairman said.
His words echoed through the chamber, heavy with condemnation. Several members shifted uncomfortably in their seats, the reality settling in. This was no minor error in judgment but a calculated betrayal that had destroyed lives, broken trust, and warped the very system meant to protect the innocent.
"It is true. All of it. And I am asking this tribunal to overturn Celestia's exile and restore her rights. I am also asking that you grant her immediate custody of her son Asher. And I am formally requesting that criminal charges be filed against Eclipse for her role in this conspiracy," I said.
"What about Luna Medea? Was she involved in this conspiracy?" a tribunal member asked.
"Medea had to know that Asher was not her biological child. Whether she was an active participant in the conspiracy or simply went along with Eclipse's plan is unclear. But she has been claiming Asher as her own son for five years knowing he was not hers. That makes her complicit at minimum," I said.
"And Alpha Raphael? Did he know about this?" another member asked.
"I do not believe Raphael knew. I think he was deceived along with everyone else. He genuinely believes Asher is his son. Learning the truth is going to be devastating for him," Celestia said.
It was the first time she had spoken during the hearing and everyone turned to look at her. She had tears in her eyes but her voice was steady.
“I do not want to hurt Raphael. But I need my son back. Asher is my child and he was stolen from me. I have been trying to get him back for five years and this is my only chance. Please help me,” Celestia said.
Her voice trembled but did not break, carried by a quiet strength born of endurance. Tears shone in her eyes, not of anger but of longing. She stood straight despite the weight of the room, a mother asking not for vengeance, only for the chance to hold her child and finally go home whole again.
The emotion in her voice was genuine and powerful. I could see it affecting the tribunal members. Even Ray Stone looked moved by her words.
"This tribunal will take a recess to discuss the evidence that has been presented. We will reconvene in one hour with our ruling," the chairman said.
We were escorted out of the chamber and taken to a waiting room. Celestia immediately started pacing back and forth looking anxious.
"What if they do not believe us? What if they think the evidence is fake?" Celestia asked.
"They believe us. I could see it on their faces. The DNA evidence alone is enough to prove your case," I said.
"Even Ray Stone?" Celestia asked.
"Even Ray Stone looked convinced. The evidence is too strong for anyone to deny," I said.
We waited for what felt like hours but was actually only about fifty minutes. Then we were called back into the chamber.
The tribunal members were all seated and they looked solemn. The chairman stood up to deliver the ruling.
"After reviewing all the evidence presented today this tribunal has reached a unanimous decision. We find that Celestia was wrongly exiled based on falsified medical records and false testimony. We are hereby overturning her exile effective immediately and restoring all her rights and privileges," the chairman said.
Celestia gasped and grabbed my hand. I squeezed her hand back and waited for the chairman to continue.
“We are also issuing an emergency custody order granting Celestia immediate custody of the minor child known as Asher. DNA evidence proves that she is his biological mother and he should be returned to her without delay,” the chairman said.
A ripple of shock ran through the chamber. Gasps, murmurs, and stunned silence filled the space as the weight of the announcement sank in. For five long years, a child had been taken, a mother denied, and now the law finally acknowledged the truth. The moment was tense, raw, and life-changing for everyone present.
"We are further ordering that criminal charges be filed against Eclipse for conspiracy, bribery, perjury, and child abduction. An arrest warrant will be issued immediately. And we are ordering a full investigation into Luna Medea's role in this conspiracy. Depending on the findings she may also face criminal charges," the chairman continued.
"This tribunal extends its deepest apologies to Celestia for the injustice that was done to her. We failed to properly investigate the claims against her five years ago and as a result, an innocent woman was exiled and separated from her child. We cannot undo the harm that was done but we can try to make things right going forward," the chairman said.
He sat down and the other tribunal members nodded in agreement. It was over. We had won.
Celestia was crying, and I put my arm around her. Five years of fighting, hoping, and never giving up had finally paid off. She was vindicated. Her name was cleared. And most importantly, she was getting her son back.
The weight that had pressed on her shoulders for half a decade seemed to lift in that single moment. Relief, joy, and exhaustion mingled in her expression. Every tear, every sleepless night, every whispered prayer had led to this: a mother reunited with her child, the truth finally shining through the darkness of lies and deceit.
"Thank you. Thank you so much," Celestia said to the tribunal members.
"You do not need to thank us. We are simply correcting a terrible wrong. We wish you all the best as you are reunited with your son," the chairman said.
We left the chamber and Celestia collapsed against me sobbing. These were tears of relief and joy. After everything she had been through she was finally getting justice.
"We did it. We actually did it," Celestia said.
"Yes, we did. Now we go get Asher and bring him home," I said.
News of the tribunal's ruling spread quickly. Within hours everyone knew that Celestia had been innocent all along. That she had been framed by Eclipse and that her son was alive.
Public opinion shifted dramatically. People who had condemned Celestia five years ago were now apologizing, saying they always suspected something was wrong. Whispers spread through the crowd, shame and relief mingling on faces that had once judged harshly. The Lycan council members who had opposed her suddenly went quiet, unable to argue against the truth now glaringly obvious. Even those who had championed Medea’s lies now looked uneasy, caught between loyalty and undeniable evidence.
Ray Stone tried to claim the evidence could have been fabricated but nobody believed him. The DNA evidence was irrefutable and even his supporters abandoned him.
I knew the custody battle was not completely over. We still had to actually retrieve Asher from Brazen Pack and that might not be easy. Raphael might fight us even with the tribunal ruling.
But we had won the most important battle. We had proven Celestia's innocence and established her legal right to her son.
Everything else was just details.