CAMILLE'S POV

In a matter of seconds, I had just been accused of two horrible crimes, both of which I did not commit and rejected. In a span of three months, I had lost everything I was and could be. I looked at my father, expecting him to say or do something. But the man did not even look at me.

My gaze continued to scan the faces of those who stood behind that circular table to judge me. My stepmother was seated. Not a single muscle on her face lifted which proved she could not care less what became of me. She already thought I was pathetic.

My stepsister, Eva was trying her best to hold her laugh in. But it was obvious that she was enjoying this.

Hector Menard, the man who rejected me had somehow managed to paint me as a cheat and a whore. Not to mention, it felt like everyone believed him.

It made me wonder why I was brought back in the first place. If this was how I was going to be treated, why did the Lily of the Valley pack seek me out in the first place?

I was done with it all. I was done with walking on eggshells and looking for love in people and a pack that clearly didn't give two shits about me. I faced the pack and with venom in my tone continued.

"I do not want to wait for a verdict that won't bring me justice. If the council has anything to say, they better say it now. I will gladly accept it."

"Miss Camille," the council head spoke. "I understand that you are angry but I assure you, your outbursts are nothing but stupidity and they will not help your cause. So I suggest–"

"I do not care if I sound stupid to you. I said if you have a verdict, speak it!" I retorted.

"Camille!" My father's voice boomed through the council chamber as he strode up to the front. "This behaviour is unacceptable. You must control yourself or I will take matters into my own hands. Do you think you will walk away from punishment because you are the daughter of an Alpha?" His eyes narrowed threateningly. "If you are found guilty of these offences, you will be punished."

"Oh, I am guilty," I laughed. It was the most hollow thing I had ever heard. "I must be since we have a servant saying I gave the vibes of someone who would kill birds to get even. That does sound like me. I must be a whore too because I am pregnant. I just have been railed by every man I came across. There we have it, father, the Alpha's daughter is a traitor to the pack and a whore. What happens now?"

The words tasted sour on my tongue. My father looked at me with horror in his eyes but he did not back down.

He turned to the rest of the council and spoke. "There you have it, my daughter confesses to killing the birds and being a whore. I do not think we need to wait to serve her verdict. I do hope the council will tender justice with mercy and do well to remember that vile as she is, my daughter is the granddaughter of Abigail De'crescent and could be a major asset to this pack." With that, he bowed.

The council members rose from their seats and began to murmur amongst themselves.

They all seemed shocked. Some shook their heads in disgust while others glared at me.

Finally, the council's head turned to me and spoke. "After careful deliberation, the council has decided that you, Camille Dumont are beyond a doubt guilty of the charges against you and–"

The sentence seemed to pause midway and every person before me seemed to have the look of pure shock on their face. I didn't know why until I turned back myself.

The doors were open and although the light was blinding, I could make out the silhouette of a man. He reeked of power and as the door closed behind him, I got to see his face.

He had a dark full head of hair that seemed almost fluid in the way it flowed around. His chiselled jawline held an air of authority, and his piercing eyes held an intensity that captivated my attention. As his gaze met mine, I felt a peculiar shiver down my spine, as if his very presence carried an unseen weight.

I stood there, perplexed, unable to comprehend why he was here and who he was. He looked vaguely familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on where I remembered him from.

It was however clear he had a purpose.

The man took deliberate steps forward, his aura emanating a potent blend of authority.

Every gaze in the room was fixated on him, and an inexplicable tension enveloped the chamber.

The council head, attempting to regain control, addressed him hesitantly, "King Dimitri, we were not expecting you."

At that point, he was dangerously close to me. I noticed he was clean-shaven and ridiculously handsome and as my memory started to become clear as crystal, who he was.

The council leader calling him King Dimitri had told me immediately that he was the Lycan King who was supposed to visit tomorrow. The one with very particular tastes. But that wasn't where I knew him from.

Dimitri, the Lycan king was the stranger I had shared the night with. The same man whose babies I was carrying.

A faint smile played on the man's lips, and in a voice that resonated with undeniable power, he replied, "Forgive my intrusion, I heard there was a council meeting and wanted to see what it looked like."

His eyes then wandered to mine. There was a flicker in his gaze, a shared recognition that transcended words.

At that moment, the world hushed around us, leaving only the symphony of my heartbeats echoing in the air.

It struck me like a spell. The words lingered on my very tongue but I wouldn't bring myself to say it.

Mate.

His scent wafted into my nostrils and my knees almost gave. I was fighting for my life but looking into the eyes of the Lycan King made me wonder if he even felt any of the conflicts of emotions I felt or if he was just better at hiding them.

The look on Dimitri's face erased any lingering doubts I had. His expression was indifferent, detached.

"What are her crimes?" Dimitri inquired, his tone measured.

"Irrelevant," my father retorted dismissively, striding toward King Dimitri and, in the process, pushing me aside. "King Dimitri, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," he greeted, extending his hand.

Dimitri seemed taken aback by the Alpha King's abruptness, but he accepted the gesture, though my father appeared more intent on removing me from Dimitri's line of sight.

"The trial is hereby put on hold," my father announced abruptly, seizing my arm and yanking me out of Dimitri's view.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, the guard from earlier grabbed my wrist firmly. "Miss Camille, come with me," he ordered, leaving me no choice but to comply.

I stumbled along, my wrist firmly ensnared in the unyielding grip of the guard.

His strides were purposeful, leading me away from the council hall and deeper into the labyrinthine corridors of the building.

Anxiety coiled in my chest as I attempted to keep pace with his brisk pace.

"Where are you taking me?" I pleaded, my voice tinged with desperation, yet he remained steadfastly silent.

We rounded a corner and arrived at a heavy, iron-clad door flanked by two vigilant sentinels. With a subtle nod from the guard, the sentinels unlocked the door, revealing a dimly lit passage leading to a row of holding cells.

My heart sank as the guard gestured toward one of the cells, a foreboding space with bars that cast eerie shadows across the floor. Dread clenched my stomach and a cold realization settled in as he pushed me forward cruelly.

"I haven't done anything wrong!" I protested, desperation lacing my words, but they fell on deaf ears.

The guard's expression remained stoic, unmoved by my pleas. The heavy door slammed shut behind me with a resounding clang, sealing me within its bleak confines.

"You will remain here until your next trial date is set," the guard declared, his voice devoid of empathy or explanation.

***

EVA'S POV

"Did you see that?" I demanded Hector answer as he dragged me out of the council room. He didn't and no matter how hard I tried to pull away from his hold, he wouldn't let me go. "unhand me, you brute."

When we were out of sight, Hector finally let my hand go and faced me. "Are you crazy?" He asked me. Without waiting for a response, he continued. "You are about to explode in that council room and for what!?"

"My father protected her!" I retorted.

"Alpha Lucian did not do such a thing."

Hector was a fanboy of the Alpha so of course he was going to protect the man. I didn't expect any less from him. He was used to kissing the feet of those stronger than him. That weakness probably stemmed from his daddy issues.

"He didn't?" My scoff came naturally. "...remember that vile as she is, my daughter is the granddaughter of Abigail De'crescent and could be a major asset to this pack. Did that not sound like protection to you?"

"No. Alpha Lucian sounded like someone who was looking out for the future of the pack. Your jealousy is really starting—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. I would never let him. My palms swung for his face. It was like hitting a brick wall but it did the job. It kept his ugly mouth shut. "Don't you dare!" I warned. "I am not jealous of that runt. I just want justice and if the council will keep kissing my father's feet instead of enacting justice. We should get it ourselves."

"What are you saying, Eva?"

Hector was a weakling. I knew he wouldn't give in to my demands so easily. But I had to try.

"She killed the pheasants out of blind rage. If you ask me, probably because she found out we were together," I began, cradling his face to effectively send the message across. "If she gets out of this, who knows what she will do to us to get revenge? We need to act now. We need to—"

Hector's face twisted into disgust. "Kill her?" He completed. "Eva, have you gone mad?"

"This is what disgusts me about you, Hector. For the son of this pack's beta, you are unbelievably soft. Camille will not grant us the same mercy when she gets out of this bender."

"No, I know Camille. She is not like that."

My eye twitched from rage. I wanted to hit him again for how difficult he was being but I needed to be nice. I just needed to appeal to his emotions. He loved me. He would do anything for me. Anything. I just needed to know the buttons to touch.

"You sound protective of her." I choked out, retreating from him. "Are you going to abandon me like the rest of them?"

It worked just like I had intended. Hector tried to touch me but I flinched away. "I am not the original after all. Your political position can soar higher if you side with her."

"I just rejected her, Eva." He told me. "I did that to be with you and you alone. Of course, I love you."