Lena broke through the crowd just as the guards forced the boy’s trembling arm onto the blood-stained wooden block.
The boy’s face was pale, his breathing rapid, and his wide eyes stayed fixed on the sharp blade hovering above him.
“Wait!” Lena’s voice rang out.
The crowd stirred, murmurs spreading as people turned to face her. The guards hesitated, lowering the blade slightly.
“Who dares interrupt the Alpha’s judgment?” one of the guards barked.
“I do,” Lena declared, stepping forward. “Release the boy.”
“She’s the Luna,” someone whispered.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
“My lady,” one of them said, lowering his head slightly in respect. “The Alpha’s orders were clear.”
“I know the Alpha’s orders,” Lena replied. “But I question the wisdom of punishing a starving child like
