Chapter 2
1036 Words
The Verdict
No one spoke after he told me to sit.
Not because they didn’t have anything to say.
Because they were waiting.
For me to react.
For me to argue.
For me to give them something they could use.
I didn’t.
I pulled out the chair and sat.
Slow. Controlled. Like this was still my place.
Like it hadn’t already been taken from me.
Across the table, Rowan’s shoulders eased.
Just slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But I saw it.
Relief.
That was the fifth crack.
“So,” I said, folding my hands in front of me.
“Let’s hear it.”
The elder to Rowan’s left cleared his throat, shuffling a stack of papers he didn’t actually need.
“A formal concern has been submitted to the council,” he said, not looking at me.
“Regarding your conduct, your influence over the pack, and your… long-term intentions.”
Intentions.
“Define that,” I said.
A pause.
Then—
“There are fears,” he continued, choosing each word carefully, “that you are positioning yourself to take control.”
A few heads nodded.
Not all.
But enough.
I let my gaze move across the room.
Slowly.
Taking them in one by one.
The ones who used to come to me for advice.
The ones who trusted my judgment.
The ones who followed my orders without hesitation.
None of them met my eyes.
Except one.
Raymond.
The Gamma.
He looked like he wanted to say something.
He didn’t.
Of course he didn’t.
“Interesting,” I said.
That was all.
No denial.
No outrage.
No defense.
Because I understood something now.
This wasn’t about truth.
It was about permission.
And they were waiting for Rowan to give it.
I leaned back slightly in my chair.
“Are we pretending this came from the council?” I asked.
Silence.
Then I looked at Rowan.
“Or do we want to be honest about where it started?”
A flicker again.
Gone too fast for anyone else.
“Does it matter?” he asked.
That answer told me everything.
I nodded once.
“Not really.”
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then the elder spoke again, voice tighter now.
“In light of these concerns, the council has agreed to move forward with a formal vote.”
There it was.
A vote.
I almost smiled.
“On what?” I asked, even though I already knew.
He hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
“On whether you should remain as Luna.”
The room went quiet.
Completely this time.
No shifting.
No whispers.
No movement.
Like they were afraid of what would happen next.
I felt it then.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Just… clarity.
I turned my head slowly and looked back at Rowan.
“Say it,” I said.
His jaw tightened.
“Kaia—”
“Say it,” I repeated.
Because I wasn’t going to let him hide behind them.
Not this time.
His gaze held mine.
And for a second—
just a second—Theree was something there.
Something almost human.
Then it closed.
“The vote,” he said, voice steady, “is to determine whether you remain Luna… or are stripped of your title and removed from leadership.”
Removed.
From something I built.
I let out a quiet breath.
Not shaky.
Not broken.
Just… tired.
“Understood,” I said.
That seemed to throw them off more than anything else.
They expected resistance.
Emotion.
A fight.
They didn’t know what to do with acceptance.
“Do you wish to speak in your defence?” the elder asked.
I could have.
I could have torn every one of their arguments apart.
Reminded them exactly who kept this pack standing when no one else would.
Pulled apart every weak excuse they were hiding behind.
I could have looked at Rowan and asked him why.
But I didn’t.
Because none of it would change what had already been decided.
Instead, I said:
“No.”
A ripple went through the room.
Confusion.
Discomfort.
“Are you sure?” he pressed.
I met his eyes.
“Very.”
Then I added, quieter—
“But I do have one question.”
His shoulders stiffened.
“Go ahead.”
I didn’t look at the council.
Didn’t look at anyone else.
Just him.
“Was there ever a version of this,” I asked, “where you told me first?”
That landed.
Hard.
His gaze flickered.
Just once.
“That wouldn’t have changed anything,” he said.
That wasn’t an answer.
But it was enough.
I nodded slowly.
“Then we’re done here.”
I leaned back in my chair.
“Go ahead. Vote.”
The elder hesitated.
Then began calling names.
One by one.
“Remove.”
“Remove.”
“Remove.”
Each word landed the same.
Flat.
Final.
I didn’t count.
Didn’t need to.
By the fourth one, I already knew how this would end.
Raymond was called near the end.
He hesitated.
Longer than the others.
For a second, I thought—
Then he looked down.
“…Remove.”
That was the only one that almost hurt.
Almost.
The last vote was Rowan’s.
Of course it was.
The room went still again.
Waiting.
Watching.
He didn’t rush it.
He never did.
His gaze found mine.
Held.
And for a moment—
Just a moment—Everything else fell away.
No council.
No pack.
No titles.
Just us.
The way it used to be.
Then—
“Remove.”
The word hit clean.
No hesitation.
No softness.
Just final.
Something inside me… shifted.
Not shattered.
Not broken.
Just… gone.
I stood.
No one told me to.
No one stopped me.
“Is that all?” I asked
No one answered.
Of course,e they didn’t.
I looked at Rowan one last time.
Not angry.
Not pleading.
Just… seeing him.
Really seeing him.
“You should’ve just asked me to leave,” I said quietly.
That flicker again.
Stronger this time.
Too late.
Then I turned.
And walked out.
No one followed.
The doors closed behind me with a soft, final sound.
And just like that—
I wasn’t Luna anymore.
- Writer
