Rejected While Carrying The Alpha's Twins

CHAPTER 3: Judgment Before the Pack

Precious’s POV

The stone courtyard was freezing against my bare knees.

They had dragged me out of the dungeon at the first light of dawn. I was still wearing Praise’s oversized shirt, though a guard had thrown a thin, scratchy blanket over my shoulders. Hundreds of pack members surrounded the courtyard. Their eyes bore into me, filled with hatred and disgust.

At the top of the stone steps sat the Alpha’s throne. Praise sat there, looking regal and untouchable in his black ceremonial robes. Beside him stood Grace, holding his hand, looking down at me like I was a piece of dirt on her shoe.

"Silence!" Elder Marcus shouted, banging his staff against the ground. The angry murmurs of the pack died down.

"We are gathered here to judge Precious," the Elder announced, his voice booming over the courtyard. "She stands accused of treason, of seducing the Alpha on the eve of his mating ceremony, and attempting to destroy the future Luna. How does the accused plead?"

"Innocent!" I screamed, my voice raw. "I am innocent! I was drugged!"

"Lies!" someone from the crowd yelled. A rotten apple flew through the air, striking me hard on the shoulder. I flinched, biting my lip to keep it from crying.

"Grace," Elder Marcus said gently. "Tell the pack what you saw."

Grace stepped forward, wiping a perfectly timed tear from her eye. "I woke up early to bring my beloved his morning coffee. I just wanted to do something sweet for him before our ceremony. But when I opened the door... I found my sister. She was naked. She had torn her own clothes to make it look like a struggle. She wanted to steal my place."

The crowd erupted in angry snarls.

"I didn't do this”, my heart broke as I looked at the hateful faces of the people I had grown up with. "They don't want the truth. They just want a villain."

"Alpha Praise," Elder Marcus turned to him. "What is your testimony?"

I looked at Praise, my eyes begging him. Please. Tell them you were unconscious. Tell them it doesn't make sense.

Praise looked at me, then looked away.

"I remember nothing. I drank from the ceremonial cup and fell into a deep sleep. I did not invite her into my room and I did not remember touching her.”

"Coward," I whispered. It wasn't loud, but the front row heard it.

"She insults the Alpha!" a warrior shouted.

"A Luna's honor cannot be mocked," Elder Marcus declared, his face turning red with fury. He turned to Praise. "Alpha. The council has made its decision. Her guilt is clear. We demand a harsh punishment to preserve the kingdom's reputation."

Praise stood up. He doesn't look like a strong leader right now. He looked like a puppet doing exactly what the crowd wanted.

"Precious," Praise’s voice boomed. "You have betrayed your blood. You have betrayed your Alpha. The punishment for such treason is severe."

I looked down at the stone floor. I stopped crying. The tears were completely gone, replaced by a cold, hollow emptiness.

"I will announce my final judgment as the sun fully rises," Praise declared. "Let her wait in her shame."

Grace’s POV

I watched my sister kneel in the dirt, shivering in the cold. A wicked smile danced on my lips.

I looked up at the sky. The sun was almost fully over the horizon. I couldn't wait to see her thrown out like garbage.

I discreetly looked toward the back of the crowd. Standing near the edge of the forest, completely hidden under a dark cloak, was the man from the shrine. He didn't move, but he was watching everything. He gave me a slight nod.

Yes, I thought. Everything is going perfectly.My sister was finally out of my way.