Chapter 26
The former Forrester pack members were sitting in the courtroom. Their Alpha Ken and Luna ire
were on trial for treason against the true Alpha. The ex-pack members were stunned when they came
to know the reason for rogue attacks and why the pack as a whole was weakened over the years.
Shook to the core of their very being, the guilt they were feeling was overwhelming.
Maya arrived in the courtroom, her team members were present to support her. Xander was standing
beside her, very silently. She threw a look around the court room and perched on the seat the Council
had assigned to her. ire who was looking disappointed at Ken swithed to ring at Maya when she
walked in. Her lips curled in a snarl as she wished that she could escape the cuffs and scratch out
Maya''s face. Ken was ncing at Maya with sadness etched in his eyes.
The three werewolves council members, representatives of the werewolf race in the Council, were
present as the presiding judges for the case. The three Council Representatives were quite impressive
in stature and once they arrived, people in the court felt a slight pressure on their wolves. It was not
to ensure peace in courtroom.
ire''s wolf quivered under their pressure. The procedure for the case started and Dn stood up to
present the case as he had investigated. The judges and the other people in the courtroom were
shocked as various facts were ced in front of them. They couldn''t digest the fact that a true Alpha
gave up her position for her brother''s sake and the whole pack turned around to betray her. The other
people in the courtroom stared at the former pack members of the Forrester pack incredulously. The
former pack members hung their heads in shame.
When Maya had vacated her position for Ken, her family had been grateful and praised her. But when
she had needed them they ungraciously turned around and asked her to leave. The Luna of the
dissolved pack had ensured that the true Alpha suffered so that she remained in power.
Listening to these facts, the frown on the face of three judges got deeper and deeper. They had a grim
countenance after Dn finished speaking. The main judge turned to ire and Ken and said, "Is
there anything that you want to say in your defence?"
ire opened her mouth to vehemently deny the charges but before she could get any word in, Ken
spoke up, "We ept all the charges ced on us and we are ready to face the punishment issued."
The main judge nodded thoughtfully and turned to Maya to ask, "Do you want any specific
Maya threw a look around the room before nodding. "Yes, thepany that was used to manage the
expense of the pack. I want it. The pack is being disbanded and the few remaining members who were
not epted in any other pack are going to do menial work for Council. As such they will not have any
use for the thepany. Thepany was created by my forefathers and as such I would like the
Everyone turned to her in shock. No one expected Maya to make a materialistic demand. If anything,
they expected her to make a gesture of goodwill to show off her new position of a Council member. The
werewolf Council Representatives, acting as judges, were quite surprised. If any of them had been in
Maya''s position they would have used this opportunity to gain sympathy which would in turn pave the
way for climbing up through ranks of the Council. But after thinking about the fact that Maya was a new
Council member they thought that she must be inexperienced in such matters.
"Are you sure that it is the only thing that you want?" the main judge asked in order to prompt her to
make another decision.
"No. It is the only thing that I want. Please make arrangements for it as soon as possible." Maya replied
calmly. Xander sat next to Maya and had his hand on top of hers. He wanted to interlock their fingers
but he wasn''t sure if Maya would befortable with it. After all, he was part of the reason she was
facing this situation today.
Xander never pushed Maya to ept their rtionship faster. But he went with her flow. They didn''t
share a room but he often slept outside the door of her room. He loved her and was using little
gestures to show her how much she means to him and how sorry he was for hurting her previously.
"If that is all you want then we shall pass the judgement now." the main judge stated after a sigh. He
expected more from Maya but maybe she would require time before she became aware of the hidden
politics.
"Wait. I have to say something." ire interjected. Ken turned to look at her with disappointment in his
eyes. And the other people were ring at her in anger. Only Maya, Dn and the judges maintained
their calm. Xander disyed a nk face but Maya could feel his anger. She turned the hand he was
holding and light locked their fingers.
"What does the ex-Luna ire wishes to convey?" one of the judges asked her.
"Why are Ken and myself the only ones getting punished? We weren''t the only ones who betrayed
Maya. Shouldn''t her parents be held ountable as well? Shouldn''t some responsibility fall on
Xander''s shoulder as well? This isn''t a fair trial." ire stood up andined loudly in the
courtroom.
"An Alpha and Luna are the highest authority in a pack. They enjoy all the power and amenities that
are a result of that authority. However it also means that they hold the highest responsibility and
ountability in the pack. Even if other pack members moured to betray me, then you should have
used the authority bestowed upon you and ensured an ethical decision. The case is against the coup
was carried out in Forrester pack. The only people who received any kind of benefits from the coup
were you two. Also for the betrayal by the pack members they have all been assigned menialbor by
the Council as a punishment for the rest of their life, irrespective of their gender. As for Xander, he only
brought me to theke. You were the one who sold me off. His crime is of hurting his mate and the only
person who can decide a punishment for this crime is me. Not the Council, nor you have any right to
question his punishment." Maya replied her tone even.
"Oh please! Don''t pretend to be a saint. You are saving him just because he is your mate and your wolf
cannotpletely abandon her mate. Your wolf is a weak bitch." ire snarled at Maya. Ken looked at
ire shocked, only to see the resentment she felt disyed on her face clearly.
"Weak wolf?" Maya smirked and released her aura to pressure ire with it''s full extent into
submission. ire tried not to let it affect her but she fell to the floor gasping for breath. After full five
minutes, Maya reigned in her aura. ire could barely move and yet she turned her head to nce at
Maya with resentment in her eyes.
"Who says I am not being punished? The years I spent apart from my mate was my punishment. The
moments when I see hesitation on her face when deciding whether or not to trust me is my
punishment. The moments she has doubts on the strength of our rtionship is my punishment.
Staying close yet apart from her is my punishment. Looking at her agonizing whether or not to move
ahead in our rtionship is my punishment. But this punishment will be dly borne by me for as long
as it takes to heal her." Xander replied his voice soft but clear in the courtroom.
Maya''s team members along with Dn nced at them worried. They didn''t knew how long Maya
would take to recover from the trauma she faced. They wanted her to be healed but they also knew
that healing couldn''t be forced. It will require it''s own time and space. They were d that Xander was
making efforts for Maya''s sake. However, they were wary of him in their hearts.
"That is not a real punishment." ire yelled back.
"How about never bing the Alpha for any pack?" the main judge asked intervening.
ired looked at the judges in confusion. Maya was just as preplexed by the question thrown.
"Xander himself made amitment to the Council that he would never upy an Alpha position in
any pack as the punishment for betraying his mate. Also if Maya rejects him in future and finds another
male wolf for herself then he would remain mateless till the end of the time." The other judge rified.
Immediately there was a buzz of conversation in the courtroom. Maya was shook by the punishment
Xander had given himself. She nced at him from the side of her eyes.
"You should stop throwing me around. Instead of acting out, you should ept the punishment with
same fortitude that your mate disyed just a few moments ago." The third judge who had been silent,
spoke up angrily.
"Ken Forrester and ire Forrester are hearby sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years. After which
they can join any pack and start to build themselves from the bottom ranks of the pack. If any pack
refuses to ept them, then they can opt of menialbor jobs with the Council." The main judge gave
Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
their ruling and left with the other two judges following him.