The Alpha’s Court

The council hall was empty when Liora entered.

Gone were the gathered wolves, the curious whispers, the rows of spectators who had filled the hall earlier. The court had been adjourned before she arrived—cleared of everyone except those who mattered.

Family.

Elders.

And the Alpha.

The tall chamber felt colder without the crowd. The large stone floor echoed faintly under Liora’s slow footsteps as she walked beside Tessa toward the center of the hall.

Her mother, Jissele, was already there.

So was the rest of her family.

Her father stood beside the elders, his expression stern and distant. Her brother leaned casually against one of the pillars, arms crossed, looking as though this entire situation bored him. Lumia stood beside their mother, her posture stiff with visible irritation.

At the head of the council platform sat Alpha Kael.

Beside him stood the Gamma.

And in front of them, the elders waited.

Liora stopped in the center of the chamber.

Tessa remained at her side like a silent guard.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then one of the elders stepped forward.

“The court is now in session.”

His aged voice carried firmly across the quiet hall.

“This matter concerns the Alpha’s rejected mate bond.”

Liora kept her gaze lowered.

She could feel Kael’s presence from across the room even without looking at him. The weight of it pressed against her senses like a silent storm.

The elder continued.

“After careful review by the healers and spiritual council, we have reached a concerning discovery.”

A pause followed.

“The bond… still exists.”

Silence fell heavily in the chamber.

Even those already aware of the situation seemed uneasy hearing it spoken aloud.

“The rejection should have severed the connection completely,” the elder said slowly. “Yet the bond remains partially active.”

Liora’s fingers tightened slightly at her sides.

So it wasn’t just in her head.

The pain.

The strange pulsing in her chest.

It had been real.

The elder turned toward Alpha Kael.

“This presents a danger.”

Kael’s expression remained calm, though his gaze had sharpened slightly.

“Explain.”

The elder nodded.

“The ceremony was witnessed by the entire pack,” he said. “Everyone knows the Alpha revealed his mate… and rejected her.”

His gaze moved toward Liora briefly.

“If the bond still exists, even partially, this girl could be used against you.”

The words echoed quietly in the hall.

Tension crept into the room.

“To ensure the Alpha’s safety,” the elder continued, “and to ensure the pack’s stability, we have made a decision.”

Liora finally lifted her head slightly.

“You will be placed under direct observation.”

Jissele immediately stepped forward.

“What?”

Her voice carried alarm.

The elder spoke firmly.

“You will be relocated to a small cabin within the pack house grounds. You will remain there until the bond is completely severed or we gain full clarity on its condition.”

Jissele shook her head.

“That’s unnecessary,” she protested quickly. “She just came out of the hospital. She fainted because of the rejection. She’s barely recovered—”

“This is not open for debate.”

Another elder’s voice cut through her plea.

“This decision is for the good of the pack.”

Jissele’s face tightened.

“But she’s weak. This will only make things harder for her—”

“Enough.”

The elder’s voice held final authority.

“The Alpha’s safety comes before personal comfort.”

Jissele slowly fell silent.

Lumia exhaled sharply beside her, clearly annoyed by the entire situation.

Her blue eyes flicked briefly toward Liora with clear irritation.

Of course.

Everyone had hoped Lumia would be chosen as Luna one day.

This entire mess had only complicated that dream.

Liora’s brother barely reacted at all.

He remained leaning against the pillar, arms still crossed, watching with complete indifference.

As if this had nothing to do with him.

As if Liora had never mattered.

Beside Liora, Tessa stood unmoving.

Her posture was solid as stone.

Protective.

Ready.

The elder’s gaze returned to Liora.

“You will remain there under supervision until further notice.”

A quiet pause followed.

“Do you understand?”

The entire hall waited.

Liora stood still in the center of the chamber.

Her eyes lowered again.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, she spoke.

“I accept.”

The words were quiet.

But they carried clearly across the room.

Jissele turned toward her instantly.

“Liora—”

But Liora didn’t look up.

She simply stood there.

Accepting it.

Across the room, Alpha Kael’s gaze settled on her.

He studied her silently for a moment.

Then he stood.

The movement drew everyone’s attention.

“Good.”

His voice was calm.

Final.

He stepped down from the council platform and walked toward the exit.

When he passed Liora, he didn’t slow down.

“You can move in tomorrow,” he said shortly.

Then he continued walking.

Without another glance.

Without another word.

The Alpha left the hall.

And the weight of the decision remained behind.