The Heartstone

Astrid

My fists were strongly balled behind my back as I paced to and fro in front of the pack elders.

How could something like this happen? I was the only one who had access to the Echora.

Jarvis had been there on several occasions; aside from that, no one else went into the Echora. The pack elders only did so on rare occasions.

My head snapped to the door when it creaked open. Alex, the pack's beta, stepped into view. He was empty-handed, with nothing to show that he had found it.

"There were no traces, Luna."

I turned back to the elders. Five of them sat across from me, shaking their heads in disappointment.

Jarvis, on the other hand, kept biting his bottom lip.

"This Heartstone has been in Emberclaw from generations to generations. There has never been news of it going missing until today," Elder Mugo, the head elder analyzed from his seat.

"Who knows? Maybe the strangers that were brought to the pack broke into the Echora.”

Elder Callan offered but immediately shut up when Jarvis gave him a deadly glare.

"It could still be one of our own in the pack," Elder Elwin spoke.

I stopped pacing. That could be right. It might be someone who had been planning to take the Heartstone but didn't have the opportunity until yesterday because there were a lot of people.

"Assemble every pack member to wait in the courtyard."

I turned to Alex, who bowed and raced out.

This person must have carefully crafted their plan, probably someone who was hungry for power.

My mother had told me that whoever could operate the Crystalline Heartstone would gain power over Veridian.

And in whichever pack's land that stone was operated upon, the alpha of that pack would take over the thirty packs in Veridian.

It could be that a rival pack had broken in. Still, I couldn't think of a pack we had problems with. We had maintained a clear passage with every pack.

Dark Circus? I heard their rogue alpha had a deep hunger for power, but he has never made that obvious.

I've never heard of him causing trouble because of that.

And then, there was Soren Thornheart of Shadowfen, the alpha who never interacted with anyone, let alone his pack members.

He had a beef with Jarvis over some girl, but that was before I met him, and it has been more than six years.

He couldn't break into the pack because of that.

Was it someone from Raven Pack? Or someone amongst the people Jarvis came with?

Goodness! The more I thought, the more my mind became foggy.

‘It could be Eridesce.’ Edna suggested.

I completely ignored her. She had been of no good to me since we met Jarvis.

We made our way down to the courtyard.

We stood in front of the population, who seemed rather scared than curious about the abrupt meeting.

Elder Mugo stepped forward to address the crowd.

"The Crystalline Heartstone has been stolen from our pack," he announced.

Gasps and whispers erupted from the crowd.

"And we know the consequences of stealing from the pack," he walked in front of the crowd, his hands behind his back, no emotions on his face.

"Thirty strokes on the soles of your feet if found guilty."

He stopped like he wanted to emphasize something.

"It is nothing compared to what would be done to you if you're found guilty of stealing something so sacred belonging to the pack for ages."

"Thirty strokes, a naked walk of shame from the pack to the pack boundary, and then banishment."

It was silent. I nodded at that. Though that was extreme and something that was on my to-do list to abolish, other consequences could be put in place.

"So, I will ask. If any of you are guilty of the mentioned crime, you should step forward to make this a lot easier on your side."

No one made any move. The people whispered amongst themselves, but no one stepped forward.

"Luna Astrid…Luna Astrid. She took it.”

My head and that of the entire pack swirled towards the source of the shaky voice.

I craned my neck at the fragile looking boy of about 14 years old. He was dressed in brown torn clothes.

“What are you talking about, boy?” Elder Mugo stepped forward.

I stood lost, trying to understand the situation.

Who was he and where did he come from?

"Luna Astrid. I saw her living the Echora this morning

She had a bag with her."

Blood drained from my face. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. The only thing I could do was point a finger at myself, my eyes wandering around.

Still, I decided to calm down. He was probably mistaken or maybe hungry, given how exposed his hollow flesh was, his tiny bones printing in his clothes. I learned that people turned to say stupid things when they were hungry.

I marched forward and stopped in front of him. I crunched down to his level. I took his hands in mind. I stare at him in the eyes.

"Did you see me? morning? If you did, did you see me with a bag?”

Something like fear crossed his eyes. But he quickly concealed it.

“Y-yes, I did.”

My hands itched to grab him by the neck and snap it from the rest of his lanky body. But he was already in a bad state.

"He saw you leaving the Echora this morning with a bag and then in not less than two hours, the Crystalline Heartstone was declared missing. Care to explain that?"

Elder Elwin prompted from his seat.

"Luna Astrid!" Elder Mugo's voice and some other elders echoed, accusations laced in their voices.

I turned towards him. “,this is a boy who doesn't even know what he's doing.” Were they seriously going to believe him over me?

"Did you go to the Echora this morning?" That voice. That voice I had been so glad to welcome, to hear whisper words of love and affirmations of our future to me, asked close to me.

I swirled my head around to see Jarvis. His dark, hooded eyes beamed down at me with disbelief in them.

"Did you go to the Echora, Astrid?" The heaviness of his words sent me shaking my head in agreement.

"Y...yes, I did. But I didn't..."

Before I could finish my sentence, the pack burst into mockery.

'She did go after all.'

'She must have taken it.'

They continued their chatter, and I focused on Jarvis, whose face was all gloom.

"Luna," Mugo called out, his eyes steady on me like he didn't believe them but wanted the truth from me.

"I swear to the Goddess. I went to do the normal routine. I didn't take anything."

Something like relief crossed his face. He turned to the boy whom I was still struggling to figure out where he got this from.

"She is our Luna. She wouldn't do something like that. I will not believe this unless there is evidence to support your claim."

“And if it comes out a lie, you and your household shall be flogged and banished from this pack.”

Elder Mugo pointed at the boy. His head moved from left to right. He glazed over. His hands started to shake where he had them at the hem of his shirt.

Why couldn't no one see through his lies? He was probably under some influence.

“In her bag, in the house.” His lips trembled.

"Neo, Ivis. Go up there and bring us what you can find," Elder Elwin announced. I have never liked him.

I turned to Jarvis, who had his chin in his hands.

"You can't let them do this. They can't go up there to search for my things."

"Just like Mugo said, and I agree with it, if the boy is wrong, he shall receive his punishment." he said and turned to the pack, and the elders nodded in agreement.

The atmosphere was tense. We waited in anticipation.

About ten minutes later, the pack guards returned with guilty looks on their faces.

"Did you find anything?" Jarvis questioned, his eyes lingering on the boys just like mine did.

They looked at each other. Ivis nodded to Neo, who extended the hand that was behind him in front, revealing one of my old black bags that I rarely used. It had cobwebs and mold on every corner of it. I can't even remember the last time I used this bag.

"Okay, what's with the bag?" Elder Mugo questioned.

The boy sent his hand inside the bag and brought out a heart-shaped object.

My breath caught in my throat at what he brought out from the bag.

The Crystalline Heartstone.

My eyes instantly turned blurry. My hand went to my mouth to stop the gaping sound.

How...how did that make its way there?

That had been in Echora for the longest time. It had never been touched because no one knew how to operate it.

It usually had a bright light blue glow from it when operated by the right person. It had been dark because no one could.

"How could you, Astrid? What was the reason for doing this when you have everything?"

Jarvis's accusing voice rang out, and my heart split open at that instant.

My steps faltered backward. This couldn't be happening. It could be a setup. I couldn't take what belonged to the pack. To my pack.

"She killed your alpha, her father, and took the pack. She could be capable of anything. She plans to take the pack and make us her slaves," Elwin lamented from his seat.

My head snapped to his. Rage blinded my thoughts as I stomped towards him.

"What did you say?" I was about to lash out at him when I felt familiar muscles around me.

"You shouldn't have done this, Astrid. Look at what you put yourself through," he whispered next to my ear, his hot breath, which was once a source of comfort, sent agonizing tingles to my neck.

Using the force within me, I stomped on his leg and pushed him away from me.

He fell on the table behind him, sending its contents crashing down.

How dare he? How dare they say such things about me?

"I'm sorry, Luna. The evidence is clear. I'm afraid you have to take the walk of shame and be banished from the pack."