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“All rise,” the court clerk announces and they all stand to their feet as the judge comes inside. Liana is not in chains today, she is sitting beside Kelvin with Leila beside them, Amanda made it in time to look after Amara this time and Carmela is sitting on the other side behind Justin. There are a few council elders also present but Trent is not. The judge takes his seat and they all follow but the clerk remains standing. “All those having business with this court at this hour, stand forward and you shall be heard. Judge Bruce Tanner is presiding.” Judge Bruce clears his throat. “Is the pack prepared to make an opening statement?” “Yes your honour,” Justin replies sharply, shooting Kelvin a challenging look as he walks up to the podium. “The facts of the case are these: Fifteen years ago, on the eve of the blood moon festival, our Alpha at the time sent the accused and her family on a celebratory visit to one of our neighbouring packs but the accused had malicious intentions an
Pop! The cork of a champagne bottle flies off and Amara claps excitedly. “Yay!” “Today was a good day,” Kelvin says, holding up the wine bottle, “I know you probably think it’s too early to celebrate but I’ve learnt to celebrate the small wins to better take the losses.” “Oh we are not going to lose,” Leila adds with a smile, passing her mother a wine glass and holding up two to Kelvin. After Kelvin’s counter, the judge agreed for Trent to be put on the stand as a key witness to the case. Justin was going to counter it but the letter written by Alpha Darren, Tatum’s father, granting Trent permission to join Leila’s parents on the journey was presented by Kelvin and there was no way for Justin to rebut. After making his decree, the judge adjourned the next hearing to four days’ time, giving them enough time to prepare their witnesses and evidence. Kelvin fills the two glasses in Leila’s hands and when he’s about to pour the glass in Liana’s hands, he sees she is not as enthusiasti
“I’m sorry about your dad’s illness but seeing me won’t heal him. Excuse me,” Leila says coldly, turning away.Tatum blocks her path, looking straight into her beautiful blue eyes, wishing they didn’t have such coldness and hatred in them towards him but he knows he deserves it, he deserves more than it.His sins against her are grave and he doesn’t know the first way to redeem himself. He cost a mother her child. Is there even redemption for that? Even though it was never part of his plan, it is still his fault that their child is dead, his child, his heir. He cannot imagine the pain Leila must have gone through when it happened, the agony and anguish she must have been in and it crushes his heart.All he wanted was to keep her safe, to protect her from Trent and Carmela, it’s why he never wanted to tell her anything he was up to back then, why he repeatedly told her not to speak or antagonise Carmela so Carmela can drop her guard and he can nail them with proof but Leila was adama
It comforted and shattered his heart at the same time but it also made him glad that the sacrifices he made to bring Leila back were at least worth something, even if they have cost him the only thing he truly desires, a life with her. What he felt that day was nothing compared to whatever sorcery Carmela had tried to trick him with. Leila’s smell was the only thing that filled his nostrils, his desire for her was the strongest it had ever been. His wolf howled in joy like never before, his own joy knew no bounds and so did his hatred for Carmela. He had to act like he did not feel a thing in front of Leila when he wanted nothing more that day than to claim her right there and then but giving her the revenge she deserves is more important than whatever feelings he or his wolf has. If only there was something he could do to show her how sorry he is that he cost her their child, anything to pacify this hatred that she has for him. He would give everything to just see her smile at hi
Leila holds the door knob and then turns to him.“Congratulations on your Luna’s pregnancy by the way but since you didn’t spare mine, her pregnancy is not going to stop me from coming after her and when I’m done with her, it’s your turn.”Tatum jerks his head back, his eyes flashing with shock and curiosity. “What pregnancy?”Leila scoffs. “Don’t play dumb, I know.”“I don’t know what you’re fucking talking about,” Tatum replies, a feeling of annoyance growing in his chest as a sense of realisation dawns upon him. “Did she tell you she’s pregnant?”“Is she not?”“If she is, it isn’t mine,” Tatum replies coldly.How can Carmela be pregnant for him when he has never touched her, they don’t even live together.Leila scoffs cum chuckle and she shrugs. “Your fiance's infidelity is none of my business.”Tatum grits his teeth, clenching his fist by his side. The very sound of the word sends worms crawling all over his skin and twists his gut.If only he could tell Leila the engagement is a
After leaving her rented Condo where she just had sex with Matt, Carmela makes her way to the old Alpha’s house where Tatum has been staying when he is not in the packhouse. “Luna,” one of the omegas cleaning in the living room bows as she enters. “And when did she become your Luna?” Adaline’s curt voice fills the air as she appears with a cold face. “Mother,” Carmela says in a cheery tone with a half smile. “Your mother is dead. I am not her and why the hell are you here?” Adaline replies coldly, eyes narrow in palpable annoyance. Carmela gulps and the cheer vanishes from her face. This has been her lot for a couple of years now. In the beginning Adaline supported her but after it became clear that Tatum has no interest in her, the woman turned into an iceberg. “I’m here to see Tatum,” Carmela replies in a wry tone, avoiding Adaline’s harsh gaze. Adaline scoffs, an angry pout on her lips. “Leila is back, is she not? That girl was going to give me an heir, I should have chosen
“Are you deaf? I asked you a question,” Tatum reprimands when Carmela is unable to answer and she just stares at him with her mouth open.Thank the goddess she is not yet pregnant, how would she have been able to explain it to Tatum? That bitch Leila really told him that? She really has it coming for her.How much time do they even spend together? Now that Leila has her wolf back, does Tatum’s wolf feel the matebond? That should not be possible, right?She has to see Lithoha about this, she cannot risk their wolves bonding.“Fine, don't answer,” Tatum says, “tomorrow, you and I are going for a pregnancy test and if you don’t have a pup in you, well, let’s just say you are going to suffer, severely. And if you do have a pup in you,” Tatum stands up, closes the distance between them, their faces barely inches apart, his eyes cold and dead, his voice dropping to a spine chilling whisper.“You are still going to suffer because the pack will know that their,” he draws quotations with his f
“Do you Liana Rodgers solemnly swear that the testimony you will give to this court will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth under the all seeing eye of the goddess?” Kelvin asks Liana with both their right hands up as he stands by the podium. It is the day of the second hearing and Justin has called her to the stand to prove that she was indeed on the scene of Henry’s murder and the first discoverer. “I solemnly swear,” Liana replies. Kelvin nods and they both take their seat before Justin steps forward. “You just took an oath before everyone present here in the name of the goddess and I hope you can honour that oath,” he says, “tell us, according to you, what happened that day?” Liana glances at Leila who gives her a reassuring nod despite the way Leila’s own heart hammers with a nervous fear. Kelvin has prepared Liana for this, he has told her how to answer the questions, prepped her on how Justin would go low and try to rile up her emotions, twist his que