Chapter 8: Not Guilty

I took a shaky breath, step The Rite of Judgment

ping into his space, letting my scent—jasmine and steel—curl around him. My eyes locked onto his, and I let the mask slip, just enough to show the raw, jagged edges beneath.

“Fine, Rowan. You want to know the truth?” My voice was low, but laced with the pain I’d buried for years. “I’m an orphan. I have no pack, no family. I was a kid when Alpha Viktor and his men attacked my pack. They killed everyone and took me as a prisoner on the streets. He… he tortured me, Rowan. Broke me down, until I was nothing but a shadow of myself. I escaped, barely, and I’ve been running ever since, searching for my mother, the only family I might still have. She’s out there somewhere, and every lead I’ve chased has led me here, to your pack.”

His eyes widened as he processed my words. I pressed on, my voice cracking just enough to sell it. “Viktor’s men are still after me. They’ll kill me if they find me. I didn’t mean to cause trouble that night at the bar. I was just trying to survive. I saw you, thought I could lift your wallet, get enough cash to keep moving. But I swear, I didn’t attack you. I’m not here to hurt your pack. I’m begging you to help me or your pack will have my head, Rowan. Please.”

I let my eyes glisten, a calculated vulnerability, but the ache in my chest was real. My wolf whimpered, sensing the truth in my words, even if I’d dressed it up for him. Rowan’s hand caught mine, his thumb brushing my knuckles, and that spark between us flared—hot, dangerous, and undeniable.

“You’re serious,” he said. “Viktor did all that to you?”

I nodded, letting a single tear slip down my cheek, my lips trembling. “I’ve got no one, Rowan. No pack to protect me. If you turn me away, I’m as good as dead.”

He swallowed hard. “Fuck, Gwen,” he muttered, stepping closer, his body heat wrapping around me. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Because who’d believe a rogue?” I shot back. “Your pack’s ready to tear me apart. I need someone to vouch for me. Please, Rowan. I’m not your enemy. Don't let them kill me over a stupid mistake.”

He hesitated, then yanked me against him, his lips crashing into mine. The kiss was fierce, all teeth and heat, his hands gripping my hips as he pinned me to himself. I kissed him back, matching his hunger, my nails raking his shoulders, my body arching into his. My wolf purred, caught in the reckless pull of whatever this was. Not the mate bond I felt with Kael, but something just as wild.

He pulled back, his breath ragged, his forehead resting against mine. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” he growled. “But I believe you. I’ll tell them I was drunk, that you didn’t attack me. I’ll say you’re running from Viktor, that you need our protection. They’ll listen to me.”

I smirked, my lips tingling, brushing his ear as I whispered, “Good, then you can have me all to yourself, alpha.”

He groaned, his grip tightening like he didn’t want to let go of me. But Jace’s voice interrupted us. “Time’s up.”

We stepped back into the chamber, Rowan’s hand grazing mine, sending a shiver through me. Sienna’s glare could’ve set me on fire, and Kael’s eyes tracked our every move, the mate bond pulsing with a possessive edge.

As soon as we were settled, Rowan faced the elders, and testified. “I was drunk that night at the Rusty Claw. Too many beers, and I passed out in the storage room. Gwen had nothing to do with it.” He paused, his golden eyes sweeping the room before landing on me. “But there’s more you need to know about her. Gwen’s not just some rogue. She’s an orphan, taken by Alpha Viktor when she was a kid. He tortured her for years but she managed to escape from his pack, and she’s been running ever since, searching for her mother, the only family she might have left. Her trail led her here, to us.”

The pack erupted in murmurs, a ripple of shock and skepticism spreading through the room. Sienna’s face twisted with fury. “You’re lying!” she shouted, stepping forward. “You said she did something to you.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t flinch, meeting her glare with a cool shrug. “I know what I saw that night, Sienna. My head’s clear now. It was just a bad night.”

Before Sienna could explode, Zane sauntered forward, his golden gaze glinting with that infuriating amusement. “And about that fire? Gwen was with me the whole time, before and after it started. No way she’s involved.”

My breath caught. Zane was covering for me, his lie smooth as velvet, his golden eyes daring anyone to challenge him. Kael’s gaze snapped to him, then to me. The elders frowned, clearly thrown by the sudden shift.

Sienna’s voice cracked with frustration. “This is a farce! They’re both lying to protect her!”

The golden-haired elder raised a hand. “Enough. The Rite seeks truth, and we have heard testimony from two pack members.” Her gaze settled on me. “Gwen, your story is grave, and the accusations against you lack clear evidence. By the laws of the Crescent pack, we find you not guilty of the charges of attacking an alpha heir and endangering the pack. You are free to leave our territory.”

Relief hit me like a wave, but before I could speak, Rowan stepped forward, his aura commanding the room. “She stays,” he said. “She will be under our protection from now on.”

Zane nodded. “I agree. She’s not a threat.”

Sienna’s face contorted, but she bit back whatever she wanted to say, her eyes promising vengeance. The elders inclined their heads, and the Rite dissolved, the pack dispersing in a buzz of whispers. Jace moved to escort me, but Kael stopped him.

“Hold on,” Kael said, his golden eyes locking on mine. “I’ll escort her to the guest room myself.”

Sienna shot me a look that promised blood, but she stormed out, her heels clicking against the hardwood.

“Let’s go,” Kael said, his tone clipped. He gestured toward the double doors, and I fell into step beside him, my hips swaying just enough to remind him I wasn’t broken, not yet.

We walked in silence through the compound. When we reached the guest room, he pushed the door open, his hand brushing my arm as I stepped inside. The contact sent a jolt through me, and I turned, meeting his gaze.

He lingered a moment, then turned, closing the door behind him. I let out a breath as the weight of the day settled into my bones.