CAMILLE'S POV

The air in my room hung heavy with the weight of recent revelations.

I traced patterns on the window while I tried to make a decision on the next step to take.

After what the servant said, I had gotten her to go to the drugstore and get me a pregnancy test. The same pregnancy that had come out positive.

There was no point in lying. I was probably already three months gone. While an abortion was not out of the question, I didn't want to kill the life growing in me.

The existence of the pregnancy only fueled the urgency to end things with Hector as soon as I could.

I also thought about how things were going outside my room considering I was now on room arrest. It had been two days since I had stepped outside. Each time I tried, the guard that Alpha Lucian put in charge of me would escort me back in and lock the door behind him to punish me.

I had three square meals but that was it. I was a prisoner in my own room.

A knock on the door was enough to interrupt my train of thought.

"Yes?" I responded, turning my attention towards the source of the interruption.

"Miss Camille, are you dressed?" the guard inquired, announcing his intention to enter.

"I am," I replied, and he entered the room.

"You have been summoned to the council," the guard informed me with stoic gravity.

The council? My mind raced with possibilities. Could this be about the pheasants? A surge of anxiety quickened my heart, making each beat resonate with trepidation.

Attempting to conceal the tremor in my hands, I adjusted my posture. However, my gesture seemed inconsequential to the unyielding figure before me.

"Grant me a moment to change into something more appropriate," I requested, acknowledging the gravity of the summons.

The guard nodded, and I turned to prepare myself for a confrontation with the infamous council.

I quickly moved to change into something more fitting for the council, a mix of anxiety and curiosity swirling within me.

After making the necessary adjustments to my appearance, I approached the door and knocked, to which the guard opened promptly.

"I am ready," I told him.

Stepping out of the room even if it was for something as grimly as a council summon still felt refreshing even when the air seemed to thicken with a sense of impending gravity and doom.

My eyes widened when I noticed the guard was holding an object that resembled a collar.

"What is that for?" I asked, my voice revealing apprehension.

The guard met my gaze impassively. "It's a precautionary measure. The collar is designed to prevent you from shifting during the council proceedings."

A shiver ran down my spine as the reality of the situation sank in. This was no ordinary meeting; I was being treated like a criminal who had performed crimes against humanity.

"I hardly think the collar is necessary for accusations about dead birds." I protested, my voice carrying a mixture of defiance and confusion.

The guard remained stoic, unmoved by my objections. "Orders are orders, Miss Camille. The council wants to ensure the proceedings go smoothly."

Reluctantly, I extended my neck to allow him to fasten the collar around it.

The cold metal against my skin served as a constant reminder of the precarious position I now found myself in. As the guard secured the restraint, I couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would be a turning point, an event that would shape the trajectory of my life within the pack. I was no psychic but somehow I knew.

Once the collar was in place, the guard gestured for me to follow him. As we walked through the corridors, the weight of the collar bore down on me, both physically and mentally.

The unknown awaited me in the council chamber, and I steeled myself for what was to come.

The Council Chamber was a place I'd only heard about in hushed tones and seen in passing glances. Two stone throws away from the Dumont house, it was still a distinct part of the Lily of the Valley pack grounds.

From the outside, it was an imposing structure, crafted from ancient stones.

As we approached, the heavy wooden doors swung open, revealing a dimly lit room with a large circular table at its centre.

Arrayed around it were the council members, their faces cast in shadows, creating an aura of both authority and mystery.

The council chamber greeted me with austere grandeur, its walls lined with the gravity of decisions that shaped lives and destinies.

The werewolf council, a formidable assembly of elders and leaders, observed my entrance with stern expressions.

Alpha Lucian, my father, stood as a testament to familial betrayal. His gaze which I never once remembered as warm now held a dispassionate distance.

I swallowed hard, standing before the council, an unwitting defendant in a trial I knew nothing about.

The council leader, a figure draped in wisdom and authority, spoke. "Lady Camille, you stand accused of disrupting pack peace and violating the sacred tenets of matehood. How do you plead?"

I took my place in the centre of the chamber, the collar a constant reminder of my restricted freedom.

I searched for answers in the sea of unfamiliar faces. The air felt charged, thick with tension. My voice wavered as I replied, "I plead ignorance, for I am unaware of the charges against me."

The council's collective gaze bore into me, dissecting my every nuance. I could tell they could not buy a word I was saying despite the fact that they did not know me.

"Are you saying you did not kill the birds being bred for the visit of the Lycan King, Dimitri Galdina to spite your father and the pack nor did you break the tenets of matehood by cheating on your significant other and getting pregnant?" The council leader asked.

I took a steadying breath, meeting the eyes of the council leader. "I did not kill the pheasants, nor did I intentionally break the tenets of matehood. As for the pregnancy, it was unplanned, and I intended to reveal it at an appropriate time."

A murmur rippled through the council, and I could feel the weight of scepticism in their gazes.

It was a delicate dance, defending myself against accusations that seemed carefully crafted to paint me as a threat to the pack's stability.

"The evidence presented against you is compelling," another council member interjected. "The dead pheasants, the rumours of your romantic involvement with another pack member, and now this unexpected pregnancy. It paints a troubling picture. You are the daughter of this pack's Alpha and if anything, you are supposed to be an example to all."

"Romantic involvement with a pack member?" I stuttered. "I assure you, I have not had an affair with anybody in this pack. The pregnancy was a result of a one-night stand."

There was a gasp amidst the council. That was when I noticed my stepmother, Eva and Hector were also present. Hector stood there with a stoic expression, his eyes hinting at betrayal when he knew damn well. Eva, on the other hand, wore a triumphant smirk.

"Are you telling the council that you had a one-night stand and got pregnant?" The council leader raised an incredulous eyebrow.

I nodded. "Yes, but I didn't deliberately break any tenets of matehood. I didn't know Hector when that happened and he was not my mate at the time."

Eva interrupted with a mocking tone, "Convenient, isn't it? Claiming ignorance after the fact."

I shot her a glare, but she seemed to revel in my discomfort. The council leader motioned for silence.

"Bring in the servants who fed the birds regularly." The council leader ordered.

The guards then ushered in the servants who had been responsible for the care of the pheasants. Their faces were the perfect picture of terror.

The council leader addressed them sternly, "You have been accused of incompetence, leading to the death of very valuable birds. If Lady Camille is innocent, then you must speak the truth. Did she have any involvement in the demise of the pheasants?"

One of the servants, a middle-aged woman, stepped forward nervously. "We do not know for sure, Elder. When we came to feed the pheasants, Lady Camille was already there. I noticed that she looked disturbed, as if someone had freshly angered her. She was also very adamant about feeding the birds."

Tears welled up in the servant's eyes, and her voice quivered with a mix of fear and guilt. "I do not want to point an accusing finger. But the birds all died soon after she fed them. We were going to feed the pheasants new rations late in the afternoon when we discovered that they were all dead."

The council chamber fell silent for a moment before the leader spoke again.

"Lady Camille, do you have anything to say in your defence?"

I took a deep breath, my mind racing to find the right words. "I did feed the pheasants, but I did not harm them. I was trying to contribute, to be a part of this pack. I never intended for any harm to come to those birds. As for the rumours of a romantic involvement, I swear again, I have not betrayed my mate. If anything, Hector is the–"

Eva scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically as she cut me off. "Your honour, how convenient that Lady Camille, the long-lost daughter of the Dumont family, suddenly appears and all these troubles follow."

The council leader raised a hand to silence her. "We will consider all the evidence presented and reach a verdict. Lady Camille, you will be informed of our decision shortly. Until then, you will remain under house arrest."

As the guards approached me to lead me away, I completely snapped. "No! I am not leaving this room without clearing my name! Damn you! Damn you all!"

My outburst echoed in the chamber, but before I could say more, Hector walked up to me, his expression a mix of frustration and disappointment. In the tense silence, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across my face. The sharp sting silenced me instantly.

"You're hell-bent on being a stain on this pack and the Dumont family, aren't you?" he spat.

I scoffed, my cheek throbbing. "And what will you do about it?"

Hector's eyes hardened. "Camille Dumont, I reject you."

The words hung in the air, and the weight of them hit me like a physical blow. I fell to my knees, the sting of his rejection cutting deep. The pain was more than physical; it was a deep, searing ache that spread through every fibre of my being. The man I thought was my mate had just severed our bond, and the repercussions of that rejection were supposed to echo through my life in ways I couldn't yet comprehend. But as much as it hurt, I was grateful to have one less poison beside me.

Gritting my teeth, I looked up at Hector and forced the words out, "Hector Menard, I accept your rejection."***

DIMITRI'S POV

The leather of the car seat cooled the warmth radiating from my body. Neal, my Beta, sat across from me, wearing his customary frown.

"What is it now Neal? You look horrible without your smile."

"We should notify the Lily of the Valley pack about our visit," Neal insisted, his voice edged with caution.

I chuckled, the resonance carrying a tinge of mischief. "You've always been opposed to these visits, Neal. You fear the perception it might create among the werewolves. So does it not make sense that a feared man like me damns the rules and just shows up? Adds a little bit of spice to the story and throws off whatever other werewolves already suspect."

Neal nodded, acknowledging my point. "That is true, but this is the last pack on our list. What if the healer you seek isn't here?"

"Have faith in Lycaon," I replied with assurance as the car pulled to a halt.

"We are there, Your Majesty." The driver announced our arrival at the Lily of the Valley pack.

I looked outside and noticed we were still at the gates. There were two sentinels stationed in the front. They looked like fellows who wanted to do their jobs.

One of them walked up to the driver's side and spoke. "State your business."

Their question prompted me to step out. The car was crampy and God did I need to stretch my legs.

The sentinels' guard went up a staggering hundred percent when I stepped out and they immediately pointed their weapons at me.

"Who are you?" They demanded.

I adjusted the fabric of my coat making sure that they saw the insignia of the bleeding moon adorning my attire.

They noticed it immediately and it was satisfying to see them immediately regret their actions.

"I am Dimitri Galdina, King of the–" I didn't even get to finish my sentence.

They immediately bowed, dropping their weapons to the ground.

"We weren't expecting you today, Your Majesty," one of them stuttered out.

"Life throws many surprises," I said with a smirk. "You can go ahead and tell Alpha Lucian that I am here."

The sentinels looked at themselves and then back at me. "We would love to. But..."

"But what?" I quizzed.

"A council summon is currently going on." One of them finally answered, before adding, "It won't take long though. I will send someone to the Alpha as soon as he steps out. We can take you to the lounge while the council summon completes its process."

"I see," I nodded, my curiosity piqued. "And what might the council be deliberating upon?"

The sentinels exchanged uneasy glances. "It's a matter of internal affairs, Your Majesty. We weren't informed about the specifics, but it's a serious session involving Lady Camille, the Alpha's daughter."

A jolt of intrigue surged through me. Lady Camille? The daughter of Alpha Lucian, tangled in the council's discourse? It was an unexpected twist.

I turned to Neal, noticing his intrigue mirrored my own. He leaned in, his voice barely audible as he whispered, "Camille Dumont is the daughter of Alpha Lucian and honorary Luna Bo."

"Bo, the late daughter of the late Abigail De'Crescent, the esteemed healer?" I verified, seeking clarification.

Neal nodded in affirmation.

The revelation only heightened my curiosity about Camille Dumont. I turned back to the guards, maintaining a casual air. "I understand your situation, but there's no need to disturb your Alpha. I've always harboured an interest in werewolf traditions, particularly in observing this council summon you mentioned. Could you perhaps lead the way?"

The sentinels hesitated, grappling with the conflict between protocol and the unusual request I had presented. Eventually, they consented, guiding me towards the site of the council meeting.