The formal indictment was submitted to the Council Court, and the case was immediately accepted.The charges were undeniable. The old couple had abandoned and abused their own daughter, nearly costing my life.On the day of trial, Margaret sat beside me at the prosecution’s table.The chief of justice delivered the verdict with solemn authority, “The defendants, leaders of the Silvermoon Pack, stand guilty of abandonment and abuse. Their leadership is revoked, and they're sentenced to five years in prison.“Emma, for the crimes of using forbidden black magic, malicious assault, and selling pack secrets to an enemy faction, is sentenced to ten years of imprisonment. She'll also be permanently barred from entering the core circles of any pack.”As the gavel struck, all three crumpled to the ground, sobbing as they clung to one another.Three days after the sentence was carried out, Margaret and I went to the prison.Behind the reinforced silver bars, my mother’s face was drenched
“It’s because the bloodline certification grants me the right to invoke an ancient law.”I turned to the chief arbiter and said, “As a confirmed blood relative, I demand the activation of Werewolf Law, Article 41.”The chief blinked. “The Abandoned Offspring Accountability Clause?”“Yes.” I took out the documents I had prepared long ago. “Under the Werewolf Council Code, abandoning a minor blood relative and endangering their life results in the complete forfeiture of all pack rights and authority.”My father's face was drained of color. “Are… Are you going to take everything from us?”I corrected, “I'm not taking. I'm reclaiming what was mine to begin with.”At that moment, the doors to the hall swung open, and Margaret entered with the legal team of Blackstone Consortium close behind her. She walked straight toward me and rested a gentle hand on my shoulder.I turned my head and gave her a genuine smile. “Mom, thank you for coming.”Just those simple words made the woman knee
My parents' expressions shifted from ecstatic to bewildered. “You… You remember everything? Then why didn’t you acknowledge us?”I let a cold smile spread across my face. “Of course, I remember. You’re the ones who’ve chosen to forget. How about I remind you of those so-called ‘good times’?“From as far back as I can remember, housework was my daily routine. Sweeping, washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning Emma’s room…“The first time she cut me with silverware, do you remember what you said? 'Kids will be kids, Sophia. You need to give in to your little sister.'“She smeared wolfsbane juice all over my training clothes, leaving my skin raw and blistered. And what was your reaction? 'Emma is such a clever child. Imagine knowing how to use herbs at her age.'“I begged to join the Awakening Prep Training, but you said the family had no extra resources and that my constitution was too weak. Yet the moment Emma asked for a private trainer, you brought her three.”With every word
Before long, the council’s enforcement squad burst into my residence.I pointed to the black liquid pooling on the floor and Emma, crumpled and helpless. “Officer, she tried to use a black magic potion to contaminate my bloodline. The evidence is right here—the residue on her hands and the broken bottle.”The entire room was under Blackstone Consortium’s security coverage.The footage showed everything. Emma had broken the lock and snuck in, inching toward my drinking water while the potion bottle quivered in her grip.The moment I saw it on the monitor, I hit the alarm button. The squad was already patrolling nearby and arrived within three minutes.The officer pulled out a scanner and swept it over the floor. “Confirmed. Class‑three prohibited substances. Emma, you’re under arrest.”Emma shrieked, “This is a setup! She dreamed me!”I looked at her calmly. “How exactly did I frame you? Did I force that black magic potion into your hands? Did I use mind control to make you sne
Everyone was stunned.“Are you out of your mind?” the chief arbiter snapped. “Do you have any idea what the punishment is for destroying a council artifact?”Emma’s face went chalk-white. She stammered, “I-It slipped out of my hand…”For the past ten years, all the glamor had just been a cover. Deep down, she had always lived in the shadow of being nothing more than a replacement.Every time the pack suffered a setback, our father would drink himself sick and point at her. “If Sophia were still here… If she had truly awakened as a Silvermoon Wolf…”Our mother would often cry late at night, clutching my old belongings and regretting her favoritism.Emma had gone from the beloved daughter to the family's scapegoat, and so she had been fighting desperately to prove her worth.However, now that I had returned, her heart was full of fear—fear of being cast aside and losing everything she had stolen.Emma clung to our mother, sobbing, “Mom, Sophia’s been dead for years! I’m your only
“You’ve used dark magic to control her!” My mother suddenly extended her claws, half-shifting into her wolf form. “Give me back my daughter!”She lunged straight at Margaret.The guards immediately moved to block her, and the scene dissolved into chaos.“Stop!” Just then, the roar of a council aircraft thundered overhead.Council arbiters patrolled the area during the Hunt Festival, and the commotion in the forest had drawn their attention. The chief arbiter surveyed the turmoil before him. “What's going on here?”My mother rushed forward. “Chief, Blackstone Consortium has seized control of the Silvermoon Wolf! She’s my daughter. They’ve brainwashed her!”The chief arbiter frowned. “Do you have evidence?”My mother pointed at me, trembling with fury. “She bears the Silvermoon Mark! Only the royal blood carries it! And my daughter awakened as a Silvermoon Wolf ten years ago!”The chief turned to my father. “Where are the records of her awakening?”My father stammered, “Well… Th