Trial by Council

The council chamber was colder than stone.

I stood at Damon’s side, my hands clasped tightly before me, the weight of a dozen eyes fixed on me with sharp scrutiny. The long table stretched between us and the elders, each one a pillar of Blackthorn’s legacy. They were men and women who had served the pack for decades—scarred warriors, silver-haired advisers, voices that carried more weight than steel.

And now, they were judging me.

Damon sat at the head of the table, his presence filling the room. He leaned back in his chair, calm but commanding, as though every soul here already bent to his will. But I could feel the tension in the air, thick and dangerous, like a storm waiting to break.

“Selena Ashford,” one of the elders began, his voice deep and disapproving. Elder Kael—his reputation preceded him. Ruthless, traditional, utterly loyal to the pack’s old ways. His sharp eyes cut across me like knives. “Daughter of a fallen Alpha. A woman from a broken pack. And now, you stand here, claiming the title of Luna to Blackthorn?”

His words dripped with disdain, and murmurs rippled around the table.

My chest tightened. Every instinct screamed to shrink back, but Damon’s hand brushed lightly against mine beneath the table—a fleeting touch, barely there, yet sparking the bond between us. A silent command. Hold your ground.

I lifted my chin. “I don’t claim anything,” I said firmly, my voice steadier than I felt. “The contract was signed. Damon himself recognized me as his Luna.”

The elders exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.

Elder Mira, the only woman among them, leaned forward. Her silver hair gleamed under the lantern light, her sharp eyes narrowed in scrutiny. “A contract may bind you in law, girl, but it does not bind you in spirit. The Luna of Blackthorn must be strong. She must embody the pack, stand equal to the Alpha, and command respect. Can you?”

My heart pounded. The answer was yes. But I knew words alone would not sway them.

Before I could speak, Kael scoffed. “This is folly. An outsider cannot lead us. She brings weakness, not strength. Our Alpha owes us an explanation.”

His gaze shifted to Damon, sharp and accusing. “Why her?”

The room fell silent.

All eyes turned to Damon. My pulse raced, my breath caught, waiting for his answer. Would he say the truth—that I was his fated mate? Or would he dismiss me as nothing more than a contract bride?

Damon’s jaw tightened. He rose slowly to his feet, his presence radiating like fire, commanding instant silence. His gaze swept over the council, cold and unyielding.

“Because she is mine.”

The words struck the room like thunder.

Murmurs erupted, voices overlapping in shock and disbelief. Damon’s power rolled off him in waves, silencing them one by one until the chamber trembled with his dominance.

“You question her strength?” he demanded, his voice a growl that rattled through my bones. “Then you question me. And I will not tolerate it.”

Kael’s lips curled. “Possession does not equal worth, Alpha. You may claim her, but that does not make her Luna.”

Something inside me snapped.

I pushed back my chair and stood, my palms flat on the table. Every elder’s gaze burned into me, but I refused to falter. My father’s blood ran in my veins, Alpha blood, and it demanded to be heard.

“You speak of worth as though it can be inherited,” I said, my voice ringing clear. “But strength is not born—it’s proven. My pack may have fallen, but I did not. I stand here because I chose to, because I signed the same contract you all sneer at to save the people who depended on me. That is strength. That is sacrifice. And if you cannot see that, then perhaps it is you who are unworthy to serve this pack.”

Gasps filled the chamber. Even Damon’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his stoic mask.

Kael’s face darkened, his fists clenched. But Mira’s lips curved into the faintest smile, and a few elders nodded subtly in approval.

Damon rose fully now, moving to stand behind me. His hand came to rest on my shoulder, firm and grounding, his voice carrying like steel.

“You question her again,” he warned the council, “and you question me. Do not forget who leads this pack.”

Silence. The challenge hung in the air, but no one dared speak.

Finally, Mira inclined her head. “Then it is settled. Selena Ashford will be recognized as Luna of Blackthorn. Let the Goddess judge her worth in time.”

Reluctant murmurs of agreement spread around the table. Kael glared, but even he did not push further.

The meeting was adjourned.

The moment we stepped out of the chamber, I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My legs trembled, adrenaline still thrumming through me.

Damon walked beside me in silence, his face unreadable.

Finally, I broke it. “You didn’t have to defend me like that.”

He shot me a sidelong glance. “You didn’t need my defense.”

The words sent a strange warmth through me, though his tone was clipped.

“You surprised them,” he added after a pause. “And me.”

I blinked. “That’s… good?”

His lips curved faintly—almost a smile, but not quite. “It means you might survive here after all.”

His words should have stung, but instead, they sparked something in me.

I tilted my head, meeting his gaze with quiet defiance. “Maybe I’ll do more than survive.”

For a moment, something raw flickered in his eyes—longing, pride, hunger—but it was gone as quickly as it came. He turned away, his stride purposeful.

“Don’t grow too bold, Selena. This is still my world.”

But even as he said it, I knew the truth.

I was already reshaping it.

That night, I sat on my balcony, the moon casting silver light across the grounds. The bond hummed inside me, restless and alive, tugging me toward the Alpha who fought it with every breath.

The council might have accepted me reluctantly, but I had won something greater: Damon’s attention. His walls were high, but cracks had begun to form.

And I intended to break through them all.