A Leaf In The Storm

Ember's POV

My heart raced as I entered the grand conference room where the council assembled. The weight of the trial tugged at my heart, but I put on a bold front and kept my head high with my shoulders squared, just like my mama had taught me.

Various pairs of eyes followed my movement and I saw myriads of emotions in them. The common emotion in all of them was anger and hatred and I rolled my eyes inwardly.

A pair of eyes stood out–Roland. He couldn't even mask the contempt that radiated in those depths. Well, he could

perish with those thoughts.

I could hear a pin drop as I approached the podium where the council sat. It was the normal order of things. My gaze darted to the one who was supposed to be the love of my life. His brows were drawn in concentration, taut-like, about to snap.

His lips were curled in distaste, it was obvious that he didn't want to be here. Well, at least we had something in common.

"Highly esteemed members of the council." Drew, one of the members of the council said and I stared at him.

"We are here to begin the trial of the former Luna, Ember and the second Luna, Ellie." He continued.

Oh, wow! So, things had progressed this far and I was in the dark? Just wow!

I didn't twitch a muscle as I stared ahead, this was going to be a long interrogation but I was ready for them no matter how they wanted to bring it to me.

Ellie sauntered to the podium and rubbed her stomach for show and I balled my fists. You will not show emotion! You will not show emotion! I warned myself. That was probably what they were inching for.

"So, we all know the reason we are here right?" Graham, the leader of the council spoke, his voice booming across the walls, causing shivers to run down my spine.

I steeled my resolve and I looked ahead, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

"We have a matter of great import to dissect. There has been an ongoing feud between the two Lunas."

I sucked in a harsh breath. Who the hell made Ellie a Luna without my consent. She was a baby mama. That child was a mistake!

"And this issue has gone on for some long. It has become unhealthy at this point, up until yesterday when one person was pushed almost sending her into a coma." Elder Graham continued and I stared at him in anger.

"So, we know the way things are done, right? We will give room for both women to state their cause before we pass our judgment." He continued and I raised a brow. That was the only emotion that I showed.

"So, if you may, Luna Ember, kindly state the reason for the fight." He urged and I sighed.

I cleared my throat before beginning my speech. "Ellie here has always been egging me on because in her words, 'I'm barren.' which has brought us to disagree many times. Yesterday, she was the one who pushed me and when I tried to..."

A sob broke out of Ellie's lips cutting me off and I got pissed. What sort of drama was she playing at?

Xander was up in an instant to come hold her close and console her. "Don't cry, babe. Everyone knows what's happening." He rubbed her back gently while glaring at me until her sobs subsided into small hiccups.

What a drama queen! How come no one was seeing right through this two-faced bitch?!

"Is that true Luna Ellie?"

She shook her head as another fitful of sobs spilled out of her mouth.

Oh, come on! These people were wiser than this. Or weren't they? I asked myself. Maybe I was the one who was being fooled by their ages.

"Please do speak."Elder Drew spoke while sparing me an accusing glance and I shook my head at their stupidity. The truth was evident.

"Yesterday, after we finished eating breakfast, I decided to cool off in my room. I slept off. When I woke up, I remembered that the doctor told us during the antenatal that pregnant women should do exercises very often. Right, baby?" She looked at Xander who nodded.

My heart broke at that singular action. This was a lady that Xander never attended antenatal with.

She let out a few sobs, sprinkling a bit of hiccups in it. Oh, boy she was really turning up the waterworks and I was very pissed. "I went into the garden area and finally to the drawing room, that was where Ember approached me and spoke about how I snatched her mate away from her. I tried to explain things to her..." She sniffled for effect.

I groaned...For Pete's sake... "Stop twisting the story Ellie, you stupid liar. Xander here has never accompanied you to antenatal. Right, Xander?" I raised my brows. I wasn't going to stand there and allow them to try to rope me into something that I clearly didn't do. It was annoying as hell.

Elder Graham and Roland sat up straighter in their seats and squared their shoulders. I saw a muscle twitch in Roland's locked jaws. I hope that those teeth do not fall off because of how hard he was grinding them.

"You will not speak to her in that way in the presence of the council. Have you no manners?" Elder Graham scolded me and I didn't say anything.

"You surely cannot believe this girl over me. She's twisting all the stories to suit her agenda. What happened to you very sensitive wits?" I challenged them. Since Xander wasn't going to stand up for me, I guess I would have to do that myself. Anyway, I don't have time for all of this because it's totally crazy.

Ellie let out a sob, her tone filled with somberness. She should try her hands at acting after a while because this was very annoying. She was acting as though I was the one in the wrong.

"Esteemed members of the council," she began, her voice wavering, "I come to seek your help concerning this matter. She has threatened my life severally, promising to punish me and if yesterday was an indicator, I fear for what she would do to me after this meeting."

" You were the one who pushed me first." I snapped.

"Enough, we aren't here to banter words between both of you. We are here to provide a solution." Elder Graham silenced me. "So, Alpha Xander what do you think? Who do you think is telling the truth between the both of them?" He inquired and I held my breath. This was the time that he was supposed to exonerate me.

"Ellie." The words slipped out of his mouth without a second thought and I inhaled.

Something shattered inside of me, I think it was my heart because the crash was so loud that I could hear its echo in my ears. Xander had just betrayed me. This was more than knives being stuck into my heart and twisted in.

We locked gazes and I stared at him in horror. He had made sure that my testimony didn't count. Just a positive answer from him about me would have proven my Innocence. After knowing that I couldn't hurt a fly.

"There we have it. The Alpha has spoken." Elder Graham said and bent his head with other Alphas who were engrossed in a conversation probably deciding my fate.

Although I was crumpled inside, I didn't show any emotion. Instead I balled my fists to stop them from trembling violently like a leaf in a storm.

Light chatters filled the room, but I was unable to make out the words, it was obvious what they were discussing.

After a few minutes, Elder Graham raised his head and nodded solemnly.

"Within Ellie lies a child, who is of great importance to this pack. We don't need to reiterate his role. Therefore we have come to this conclusion." He paused and I held my breath.

Tension was palpable in the room, one could almost cut through it with a knife.

"Ellie will become the Alpha's mate, while Ember will be the second mate. He will observe his due benevolence with you but she will be the first Luna."

I sighed as I saw through the ploy. They had concluded this before I even arrived but they were waiting to make it formal. Gosh, I felt like slapping my forehead. How didn't I see through this? That was why they addressed both of us as Luna in the beginning.

"What do you say?" He prodded and I grinned at his folly which belied the actual emotions that ran inside me.

I steeled my resolve, refusing to show any pain. "I will not agree to this nonsense." I replied

Light gasps filled the room and I continued staring at each of them in the room. "I would rather leave than share him with any woman. You can go fuck yourselves!" I flung at them and walked away.