Chapter 13:The judgment and Punishment: part:1-1

Sofia pov

After eating, Damian and I went downstairs. He was holding my hand, leading me toward the pack exit. As we walked, I could feel curious glances from the pack members around the house. They were all looking at me like I was a different person. I can’t really blame them—I’m looking prettier and hotter, so it’s no surprise. I totally get it.

I felt really confident and proud of myself today. Then Damian looked at me with a smirk on his face and said, "you have always been beautiful, but you look even prettier and hotter now.” I realized he’d heard my thoughts and I quickly looked away, feeling shy. But it still didn’t change the fact that I was really a nervous wreck because of the court hearing.

I’m not sure what’s going to come out of this hearing—whether it’ll favor me or Vanessa. My parents have immense power in the pack, and Vanessa’s their favorite daughter. But if it goes my way, my mother might kill me, and I don’t want her yelling at me. My mother’s always been cold toward me, making me wonder sometimes if she’s even my real mother. When I was fifteen, she made me stop calling her ‘Mum’ and instead address her as ‘Beta female’ or call her ‘Mrs Linda’ which is weird, but I just went along with it.

As we got close to the car, my mind was all over the place, feeling nervous. I didn’t even hear Damian talking to me until he squeezed my hand reassuringly. I snapped out of my thoughts, looked at him, and he asked, “Are you okay? Are you ready to go?” I said yes.

Just as we were about to get into the car, I heard a voice behind us: “Hello, Browning Coils, been a while.” I turned around and saw Josh smiling at me. I was so happy that I pulled my hand from Damian’s and went into Josh’s arms, hugging him tight. I missed him so much.

Josh and Mark have always been my protectors and guardian angels in this pack. They, along with the Luna, made me stand strong and didn’t let me break when everyone else tried to. They protected me in the best way they could, and I’ve always been grateful for that.

While I was hugging Josh, I felt a pat on my back and turned to find Mark smiling at me. I was so happy and hugged him tight too. He whispered in my ear, “We missed you too.”

Josh and Mark have always treated me like a younger sister, but honestly, I’ve always hoped one of them would be my mate. That’s why I was really looking forward to my eighteenth birthday—I hoped either Josh or Mark would be my mate. I was surprised when I ended up mated to Damian, who’s been nothing but cold to me.

The truth is, Damian, Josh, Mark, and I have always been close since we were kids, even though they’re five years older than me. My grandmother was the head warrior, and they always came around for combat training. She trained them in combat and other things, and after training, she’d make muffins and chocolate drinks for us. We’d all drink and have fun together. They were so close to me, always playing with me and teaching me a little self-defense.But shortly after my grandmother died, Damian changed into a different person I didn’t even recognize. Josh and Mark, though, remained true and loyal to me, which I always appreciated.

While I was still hugging them, we heard a throat clear behind us. I turned to find Damian with a hurt and pained expression, which left me confused about why he looked that way.

As we approached the courthouse, the tension in the car was palpable. Damian was clenching his fist tightly, and I could feel the weight of his emotions through the bond. Josh was driving, Mark was in the passenger seat, and Damian and I were in the back. I glanced at Josh and Mark, then at Damian, and realized they were having a mind link.