Chapter 10.

Outside, everything seemed to continue as normal.

The sun blazed overhead, too bright and indifferent. People moved along the streets, laughing, talking, carrying on with their day, but the world had lost all its color. Everything was black, white, or the occasional shade of grey.

My chest tightened with every breath, each one scraping painfully against the memories of the past few days.

I got into the car and shut the door. Richard entered after me.

We drove for about five minutes before Richard's phone rang.

“Hello, sir.”

Pause.

“Yes. She's here with me.”

Another pause.

“Okay, sir. Understood.”

He hung up and made a turn.

“Uhm... this isn't the way home. Where are we going?”

“There's been a change of plans, Ms. Your father has asked me to bring you to the council office.”

He said it in a monotone voice.

“But that's supposed to be in the evening.”

A knot of dread twisted tighter in my stomach.

“That's all I can say, Ms. I have no other explanation to give.”

The drive to the council office was silent, and that made it all the more torturous.

I played out every possible scene in my head over and over again, each one ending with me standing alone beneath the council's judgment.

“We're here, Miss,” Richard informed me, pulling me out of my mental rumination.

I got out of the car and immediately spotted my father's car parked in the lot.

I walked into the building with Richard in front of me.

We reached the reception desk, where a middle-aged woman sat with a face etched into what looked like an eternal frown.

“We're here for the hearing at eight,” Richard said to her.

She looked us over from head to toe, her gaze lingering on me a little longer.

“The hearing is about to start. Take the elevator to the last floor. The judgment room is the only one there. You definitely won't miss it.”

Sarcasm coated the last part of her instructions.

“Thank you.”

We took the elevator to the last floor, and I was shocked to see the massive doors just a few feet away from us.

At that moment, I understood why it had to be called such a ridiculous name.

We reached the door, and before we could knock, it swung open on its own.

Inside was a hall full of pack members.

Every gaze was trained on me.

Most were filled with disgust. Others held pity.

My father, brothers, and mother were already seated at the front.

On the other side of the room was Jax's family.

His father, the pack Alpha, was a tall man with a face full of beard and a commanding presence. He looked past me, his gaze going straight to the wall behind me.

A clear dismissal.

His mother and siblings all wore the same expression of grace, poise, and quiet brutality that I was beginning to recognize after yesterday's incident.

Richard guided me to where I was supposed to sit.

Once seated, I bowed my head and sank into my chair.

I knew my mother would be displeased by this, but I just wanted to disappear.

After a while, the council members walked in, and everybody stood to show respect.

I stood too.

The council was made up of six members: two women and four men.

I recognized the man and woman who had come to see me in the hospital, but the rest were only vaguely familiar faces I'd seen at family parties or social events my father had forced us to attend.

Once they were seated, we all took our seats too.

The oldest among them, the man in the middle, spoke first.

“Praise Selene, the goddess, the bringer of eternal light and sacred justice.”

“Praise be,” we all echoed.

“Today, we're gathered here to preside over the case between the Bloodthorns and the Fangs. Presiding today are…”

The council members introduced themselves, starting with the man at the far right of the oldest councilman.

“I am Councilman Hadrian Marrow.”

The woman next to him went next.

“I am Councilwoman Ragna Ironpelt.”

They skipped over the oldest man, and the woman beside him spoke.

She was the one who had come to deliver the council summons at the hospital with Professor Claude.

“I am Councilwoman Maeve Hollin.”

The man next to her, the same one from the hospital, went next.

“I am Councilman Bram Stormhaven.”

“And I am Councilman Magnus Greyfang,” the oldest said finally.

“As is custom, we will read out the charges against both parties.”

Councilwoman Ragna stood up, a scroll in front of her.

“We are all gathered here on the recount of the events between the eldest son and daughter of the Bloodthorn and Fang families respectively.”

She paused, doing a visual sweep of the courtroom before continuing.

“The charges brought against them today are as follows:

“One. Disrespect of authority by Miss Vivian Fang.

“Two. Rejection of a destined mate by Mr Jax Bloodthorn.

“Three. Sexual misconduct by Miss Vivian Fang.

“Four. Public humiliation of the Alpha heir by Miss Vivian Fang.

“Five. Disrespect of authority by Miss Vivian Fang.”

The entire room erupted in murmurs while the councilwoman took her seat.

Why was my name mentioned so many times?

I wondered to myself.

I mean, most of these charges were supposed to have both Jax's name and mine attached to them.

“Order, please. Now that we have heard the charges, we may proceed,” Magnus said.

Councilwoman Maeve stood.

“I would like to call Miss Vivian Fang to the booth.”

I walked over to the ornate booth, my feet heavy and my heart pounding.

“Now, Miss Vivian. Do you swear by the goddess Selene, your family honor, and that of the pack to tell the truth and nothing but the truth today?”

“I do.”

“Good. Do you understand the charges brought against you today?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent. And from what I'm made to understand so far, you have been educated on the pack rules. Am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“So why, then, would you willingly go against them?”

Silence.

Councilwoman Maeve waited for my answer, but when none came, she continued.

“In order to remain impartial, we are willing to hear your side of the story before we pass our judgment. So, Miss Vivian, are you willing to share your side of the story with the entire pack?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then tell us what happened.”

I took a deep breath.

“My relationship with Jax started long before the lunar eclipse…”

I told them everything.

How we'd met.

How we'd started dating.

How he'd told me he loved me.

How he'd promised to protect me.

How I'd trusted him.

The entire hall remained silent as I spoke.

I told them about the messages, the blog post, the party, and eventually the bet.

Some people gasped at that part.

Others murmured among themselves.

But I kept going.

Then I told them about the lunar eclipse.

About the way my wolf had suddenly awakened.

About the scent I'd experienced.

About the way nature itself had responded to me.

And finally, I told them about the bond.

“I knew he was my mate,” I said quietly. “I could feel it.”

For the first time since I'd entered the room, someone on the council moved.

My gaze shifted toward them.

Councilman Magnus had gone completely still.

His fingers tightened around the armrest.

“What exactly did you feel?” he asked.

I frowned.

“My wolf. She recognized him.”

“Before that night, had you ever experienced a mate bond with Mr Bloodthorn?”

“No.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

His expression changed for the briefest moment.

It was so subtle that I almost missed it.

“What about Mr Bloodthorn?” he asked. “Did he ever tell you that he had felt the bond before the eclipse?”

“No.”

Magnus leaned back slowly.

“Interesting.”

Councilwoman Maeve glanced at him.

“Councilman?”

He didn't answer immediately.

Then he looked back at me.

“Continue, Miss Fang.”

I swallowed and continued.

“He rejected me.”

The words felt like they were being ripped from somewhere inside me.

“And after he did, I lost my wolf.”

A murmur spread through the hall.

I lowered my head.

“I couldn't smell anything. I couldn't taste anything. I couldn't see color anymore.”

The room fell silent.

“And that's when I knew something was terribly wrong.”