CHAPTER 4: THE MOON MAKES NO MISTAKE

MENODORA’S POV

The Alpha's gaze lands on me, heavy and piercing right through me like a hot knife piercing through butter.

“You…,” his tone holds the same accusation I see in the eyes of everyone around me. "You were found at the scene. Do you care to explain?”

"This is nothing but a pure coincidence. I really didn't do it.”

“And the matching claw marks? Are those a coincidence too?” He sneers, the sarcasm evident in his voice.

My pulse immediately stutters to a stop like a dying engine, stalling in the heavy implications of his words.

“They don't…” I start to say, but my words are cut off by a loud cough from one of the Council elders.

"You rightly observe Alpha. The claw marks are exactly like hers, the warriors already examined it to make sure.” Although his lips are speaking to the Alpha, his eyes sweep over me with a cold and glassy indifference, passing over me as though I am nothing more than a mere housefly that needs to be swatted away.

“The marks on the body are half-shifted and there's only one among us who has never experienced a full shift," he continues.

"Too fast, it's all happening faster than I can keep up with,” the voices in my head screen, their words overlapping and nearly driving me to madness.

"Just because I have similar claw marks, that doesn't mean it's me,” I say to them.

"Can you point out any others who have similar marks as yours?” the Alpha questions.

"I thought as much…," he says, when I make no effort to respond. “We have more than enough evidence to conclusively believe that the killer is you.”

I feel like a desperate hand is wrapped around my heart and squeezing out the breath from my lungs.

“One similarity between claw marks is all it takes for me to be branded a murderer?" My breath is hitched and panic begins to claw its way up my throat, clamping down in my chest until the air becomes too difficult to swallow.

“Send word to the remaining members of the Moon Council, the culprit has been identified,” the Alpha commands, his voice ringing loud and clear across the clearing. His words cause my blood to freeze over.

“No one is listening to me.” Like an epiphany, the thought makes me realize that no matter what I say or do in this moment, no one would actually listen to me or give me time to defend myself.

I resign to my fate, awaiting the arrival of the Moon Council. By dawn, the trey of them arrive, dressed in their silvery-black threaded robes, a symbol of their status of authority. The moment they step into the clearing, the air becomes heavier and the Moon becomes even more focused, her full gaze shining directly upon the forest.

“Bind her up, hands and feet” the one who seems to be the leader says, gesturing to the warriors that are now standing at attention, awaiting the orders of the Alpha.

"Please…" I beg, my voice low and desperate even against my own ears.

As before, my pleas fall in deaf ears, the two strongest warriors taking a hold of my hands and feet and binding them in silver fetters.

“She needs to be taken to the sacred grounds."

“Sacred grounds? More like execution grounds, the execution circle where most cleansing ritual happens," the thought leaves an icky taste on my tongue and I resist the urge to spit.

With my back to the ground, one of the warriors take a hold of the chains around my feet and begins the slow and painstaking journey in the direction of the ground. The grounds glowed faintly beneath me, etched with ancient symbols and markings that I had never been allowed to get close to.

“Until now…” I nearly laugh at the irony and sheer ridiculousness of it.

The silver around my hands and feet burn, not just my skin, but deeper…like it was going to melt my bones out of my body. My breath hitches, catching in my throat as the burning sensation overtakes me again, this one worse than the last.

“State the offense," I hear one of the council member saying, his voice is not as loud as the Alpha's or the leader of the council, but it still carries just as much authority.

“This offender is charged with the murder of the Alpha's only heir." The lack of use of my name does not get past me.

“I already said I didn't do it! How many times do I have to keep repeating myself for you to listen," frustration from the whole event of the evening almost has me in tears. “You don't even have solid proof of your accusation…” I finish weakly.

"Proof?” The only female member of the Council repeats, her tone incredulous at my words, "The proof stands right before us” she says calmly, gesturing to my bound hands.

“That's no proof and you know it. It's just a fuckass similarity…you know maybe instead of pointing fingers at me, maybe try looking for the other part of the curse that you fear so much since it seems I'm not the only one bearing a curse of the moon.” My words are laced with venom and hatred for everything they had ever done to me, for the unjust killing of my mother, for the years of isolation and rejection by the pack that should have been a protection to me.

“That's enough child, silence." Contrary to my initial thoughts, it is not the Alpha who speaks this time, but the leader of the Moon Council. His face is a perfect mask of neutrality, making it totally impossible for me to tell what is on his mind at that moment.

“The moon is a judge over us all and the moon has never made a mistake…she definitely would not start now.”

“His words…” I can't shake the eerie feeling that crawls from the base of my skull down to my lower back. “Something is terribly wrong somewhere."