Chapter Five

Lyra POV

The servants taking me to my room was stopped by Raine, her face held disgust and obvious hatred towards me, I sighed internally as the servants gave way for her to get to me.

"You have to come with me to the  ancestral hall and swear before the moon goddess, I can not have our Alpha bring in a destruction to the pack." Her tone was that of finality, her old hands remained in her staff as her eyes lingered on me, judging me, trying to ascertain my reaction, but I won't give her that satisfaction.

"Sure, if it means you would believe I was never a theif and disgrace to my pack, then why not?"  I struggled my shoulders, unbothered by the curious gazes of the people present, I had taught they left when Kael retired to his chnabers but seems like they stuck around to humiliate me even more, but one thing I won't tolerate in this pack is being treated like trahs, I am the daughter of the late Alpha, even though I have been falsely accused, my confidence still remains.

"You seem so confident that the moon goddess won't strike you dead on the spot, are you doubting the great healer of all times?" Dave, as I came to know was his name asked with a smug look, on the outside, he appears to be on the same page with his brother, but just a mere look at him from my discerning eyes, I was certain he wanted to overthrow his brother, I don't need to keep this kinds of people close to me, I stared at him for some time.

"You seem a little too convinced  that I committed treason, I expected more from you as the brother of the current alpha." I folded my hands across my chest as my eyes met the shocked look on Dave face, maybe because I appear so weak or because I had just gone through the worst betrayal of my life, plus the pains that comes with rejection, but he appeared convinced I was just a weak wolf Kael picked up.

"Presumptuous!!"

"She's insane!"

"How dare she speak to our Prince that way."

"Now I have no doubt she indeed is a criminal, Your highness, please take her to the ancestral hall."

Voices rose among the people present and I couldn't help but snort, I just managed to narrowing escape with my life at the hands of my previous pack accusing me of treason and now I have to face this.

"Let's go." Raine muttered slowly under her breath but my wolf ears captured her words, she led the way and I followed her instantly, with the people following behind us.

***

At the Ancestral hall

Five elders sat on the high chairs and I stood before the alter, my eyes hovered round the hall and when I don't catch sight of Kael, I sneered internally, I expected nothing much from him, though he rescued me from death penalty but his intentions is not know and I have to be extra careful, u might have walked into even a more deeper cage.

"Take this staff, and repeat the words after me." Raine voice shook slightly as she handed me a red staff with ominous rings tied to it.

"I.." she uttered and looked towards me with deserning eyes, I lifted the staff higher with a cold air surrounding me.

"I, Lyra.."

"Stop right there, what do you think you are doing?" Before I could complete my sentence, Kael burst in looking so intimidating and scary that most low lever wolf's present fell to their knees, even Raine seems affected by his aura.

"I'm doing this for the Pack, Alpha Kael, don't you understand...she is a disgrace and a criminal, it would do our pack no good to keep her in here, I know you are desperate for a lu..."

"Silence!!" Kael Alpha voice thundered in the hall and the entire place turned eeiry silent that if a pin were to fall now, the sounds would echo,  seeing him so annoyed on my behalf made me feel a certain kind of way I'm not yet prepared for, when I know fully well I can't handle now.

"I will not stand and watch you humiliate my Luna even more." Kael cold metallic voice thundered in the hall making the entire people tremble.

"Alpha Kael, you may have mistaken us, if your Luna is really innocent, she should have nothing to fear, after all the moon goddess is fair and can not go after someone innocent." One of the elders clad in foreign suits and with a figure that spoke of his years in the battlefield stood up and said, he seem to be so sure that I was not innocent.

"I dare you to challenge my authority again! Tbe fact remains she is my Luna and so shall she remain, you needed a Luna, I gave you a even better option and you dare think of doing this.."

"What do you really take me for?" Hearing the tone of finality in Kael's voice, I began to wonder why he was so adamant on me not taking the oath, surely it isn't because he doesn't want me more humiliated by his Pack, after all we share no such bond for him to care about it. Or could it be, deep down he really thinks I'm a traitor, but that is not possible as he wouldn't have bet so much on me and even went ahead to sign an alliance just to take me out of my pack, I felt uncomfortable not knowing what exactly he is thinking.

I was still holding the staff when Raine took a step towards me and took the staff from my hold, my eyes lingered on my Storm-grey eyes for a while before she sighed.

"No one seeks to challenge you my Lord, this is for the interest of the pack, but we can postpone the swearing until after the mating ceremony...."

"I will swear that I'm innocent before the moon goddess!!" My loud, yet calm voice echoed in the hall, sending waves of shock to everyone present, even Kael was visibly shocked and for a second, the unreadable expression on his face was broken.

"But on one condition." I continued only to be met with sneers from the people.

"How arrogant, a Traitor who dares bares her fangs at us.."

"How dare a criminal demand a condition to do the needful.."

"She is lucky Alpha..."

"Enough!!" Kael voice shut off those voices screaming insolence at me.

"What is your condition?" He asked, his eyes never leaving mine.

"I need it to be broadcasted live across the packs, my reputation has been ruined and I want the whole world to know whether truly I'm a traitor."

With Alpha kael signal, the camares was set and the live broadcast started,   I stepped forward and Raine handed me the staff one more time.

"I, Lyra Vale, the daughter of the previous Alpha of Blood Hollow Pack stand before the Sacred Alter Of the Moon Goddess to swear that I never collided with the rogues, neither did I Betray my pack or plot treason, if I'm so guilty, I implore the moon goddess to strike me dead right now."

Silence ensured after I said those words, the people all looked round, expecting me to be dead in any seconds, when nothing happened in the next twenty minutes, the expression on Raine face changed, she stepped forward to speak but before she could utter a word, thunderbolts resounded outside the hall, furucious and ear defeaning thunders and a thunder bolt stroke.