Chapter Four: The Sentence

 

Mia’s POV

“Princess Mia Esbond of the Rogue Pack, and Orion Vale of the Silverfang Pack… by decree of the High Council, you are hereby found guilty of the murder of Alpha King Kaiden Silver and sentenced to death.”

I didn’t understand the words at first.

I heard them but my brain couldn’t process them.

Guilty? Murder?

I had woken up to the sounds of the royal bells ringing. Of course I wanted to ignore them but then I remembered I was supposed to get married today. 

The thought had sent chills down my body. Especially after what had happened last night with Lucien. 

I still couldn’t believe I let myself fall for him so easily. 

But here I was, in front of a crowd and being declared as a murderer. 

My mouth parted and I blinked slowly, like maybe if I opened my eyes again, I’d find myself waking up in my room, back in the Rogue Pack, maybe even still in isolation training, anywhere but here.

“Guilty?” I said out loud, but no one answered.

The guards tightened their grips on their weapons. A few people in the crowd gasped. Some of the elders lowered their eyes while others just watched.

But Lucien… Lucien stood tall behind them all, face blank. He didn’t even flinch. Not once.

I looked at him hoping he’d jump to my defense. But he didn’t say anything. He didn’t even look at me.

And that’s when it happened.

My chest caved in. I wasn’t afraid of death. I was used to pain. I had survived worse.

But this betrayal. The fact that no one even hesitated to throw me away like I was trash.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “What are you doing? You think I… me… killed Kaiden?”

No answer.

I laughed, my voice cracking. “You can’t be serious. I didn’t even share a room with him that night. I wasn’t even near….” My voice gave out before I finished.

I looked at Lucien again.

He met my eyes this time.

But he didn’t speak and for the first time in a very long time… I felt small.

Like the walls were closing in. Like no one was coming. Like the world had moved on, and I was the last one standing in place, trying to figure out what went wrong.

I didn’t care about the guards or the crowd or the rules anymore.

I took a step forward, toward Lucien. “Say something.”

He didn’t.

“Tell them this isn’t true,” I said, softer now.  I was almost pleading. “You know it’s not.”

Lucien turned to the elders, then looked back at me with a warm smile.

“Yes….” I muttered. “He knew….”

“I heard her plot it and thought it was just a joke.” He cut me short. 

I couldn’t believe my ears.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. My mind was still trying to catch up with what he just said. Plot it? Me?

I laughed again. This one was broken. I wasn’t even sure if it sounded like me anymore.

“You’re lying,” I said. “You’re actually lying.”

Lucien just looked at me, calmly. His expression didn’t shift even a little. The same man who had kissed me like I was the center of his world now looked through me like I didn’t exist.

“You said you heard me,” I said louder, my voice shaking. “Then tell them where. Tell them when. Because you and I both know you’re making this up.”

“I don’t have to justify anything,” Lucien said smoothly. “The council heard the evidence. Two guards overheard voices in the palace garden. A woman and a man plotting the king's death.  And in the morning, Kaiden Silver’s head was found on the floor of his chamber.”

More murmurs filled the hall. The elders nodded solemnly.

“Lies!” I shouted. “You all think this is proof? I wasn’t even in that part of the palace! I didn’t even sleep in the same room as Kaiden! You’re sentencing me based on what? Some voices? A whisper? Are you serious?!”

Still nothing.

I turned to the crowd, to the other Alphas, to the soldiers, to anyone who would look at me. “You’re just going to believe this? Without question? No trial? No chance to defend myself?”

Silence.

I turned back to Lucien. “Why?”

He tilted his head slightly, then leaned in, whispering. “Because your presence threatens the balance. A rogue princess, returned from isolation, stronger than ever, bound to someone like Orion? It’s dangerous. You were never meant to stay, Mia. You’re a spark in a room full of oil.”

I stared at him.

All that charm. All that warmth. It was all fake.

Every kiss. Every smile. Every soft word.

He set me up.

He knew exactly what he was doing the whole time.

I felt my throat close up, but I forced myself to breathe through it. I wouldn’t cry here, not in front of them and definitely not in front of him.

They dragged Orion in a moment later.

His wrists were bound in silver. Cuts were lined in his arms. His lip was split, but he was smiling like none of this mattered.

“Mia,” he said, his voice raspy. “Well, this sucks.”

I blinked at him.

How was he still joking?

“They got you too?” he asked, grinning as the guards shoved him beside me.

“Apparently,” I said, barely managing the word.

He leaned a little closer. “Don’t worry. If we’re dying today, at least we’ll look good doing it.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “You’re insane.”

“I know,” he said. “But you’re still standing beside me, aren’t you?”

We didn’t say anything else.

The guards moved forward. One of them held the axe in both hands, reverently. Another came to tighten the silver cuffs around my wrists. I didn’t even fight him.

My mind was spinning.

Lucien was behind this.

The elders believed it.

And now… I was going to die.

I let my head tilt up, eyes locking on Lucien one last time.

He was already walking away.

“Coward,” I muttered.

Orion nudged my shoulder. “Ready?”

I didn’t answer.

The executioner raised the axe, waiting for the final command from the council.

I closed my eyes.

I thought about Sylvie. About Regris. About my father. About what I’d never get to see again.

I swallowed.

“I’m a traitor, right?” I muttered. “You all want me dead? Fine. But if you think this is the end if you think I’ll stay dead, you don’t know me at all.”

They didn’t flinch. Instead they laughed. 

A ripple of mocking laughter spread through the crowd, starting from the elders and spreadingng into the others like a disease.

“She thinks she’s some kind of savior,” one of the nobles sneered.

“Does she really believe she’s the Luna Queen reborn?” another chuckled, elbowing the man beside him.

“The Luna Queen?” A woman in a gold-threaded gown cackled. “She’s not even a proper Luna. She’s a glorified bastard from a crumbling pack!”

“I heard she talks to dragons,” someone said with exaggerated horror. “Maybe they’ll fly in and catch her head when it rolls!”

That sent another wave of laughter echoing through the crowd.

“Careful now,” one of the elders added with a grin. “Don’t upset her, she might call the Moon Goddess herself.”

“Oh yes,” a younger Alpha called out. “Let’s all bow to Mia Esbond, Princess of Nothing and Queen of Delusions!”

They jeered louder.

“The Rogue Queen of Rotten Luck!”

“The Dragon-Tamer of Fiction!”

“The Luna Queen? Please, she couldn’t even protect her husband for a day!”

I stood there, my wrists burning under the silver, and I took every word.

Each insult was like a slap, but I didn’t look away.

“Lucien!” I shouted, forcing my eyes open. Everywhere went silent “You think you can run from me?”

He stopped at the edge of the stage.

I smiled.

“How cute of you.”

And then the axe came down.