Chapter 47: Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Sansa's Pov
"That is not correct! There has to be a way out of this mess, right? Jerry was terrified.
"When will Xavier arrive?" Ruth inquired.
"Who knows how long he will take to return, but if Marina is telling the truth, he will return with Levine," Fariya said.
"We need him right now; we're all in trouble," Jerry explained.
"What if that's the case?" Amara spoke after a lengthy debate.
Amara captured everyone's attention. In a crowd, there was complete silence. They were all terrified as if they were about to be killed. I wasn't distracted by my mission, which was to find the one who had harmed Hina.
"We're not afraid, and we're staying quiet because we don't want to cause any trouble, but that was enough! Maya should respect the pack's Luna." Amara stated
She was the only one who didn't mind standing next to me. I never imagined having a friend like her in my life.
"Amara is correct! Miss Maya could have been respectful," Fariya said
For a brief moment, everyone was silent, and I noticed Edward was looking at me with disappointment as if I had committed a crime. He had disliked me since the day he discovered I was half-human. Except for Xavier, he was the only one who knew about my half-werewolf, half-human blood.
The rest of the night was spent planning. I wanted to meet with Vera to discuss the upcoming trial, but she had not awoken. I didn't dare ask Hina about Vera because I didn't want to betray her trust.
Hina was not telling me about the perpetrator and was expecting my protection, but I was already in trouble. I needed to speak with Vera, but she did not appear.
I also spoke with the Oak Pack, who offered their support and assured me that they would be there for me no matter what happened.
What if Xavier had been present at the time?
He would have figured out a way to get me out of this mess. Not because he loved me or anything else, but because he wanted to keep me close to him for the rest of my life to torture me.
I was curious as to why he had kept me safe until now. He had the option of abandoning me.
He was not my lover, and there was no chance of us becoming a couple; we both knew the truth, but he kept me safe in every situation.
How did he get my old picture? How was my father murdered? Who murdered him? Even if Xavier was not the culprit, who was? Or could he have done that?
I was insane, and a heavy mind was the burden. I was aware that I had gotten myself into a huge mess trying to stand up to Maya, but Vera was the only option I blindly trusted to get out of there.
The night flew by, and before I knew it, it was dawn. The trial was about to get underway.
My heart was racing as I saw Maya waiting for me, surrounded by a group of guards, as we all stepped inside the court. The Oak Pack was also present, standing by her side.
"You may have won the Oak Pack's loyalty, Sana, but you cannot deny the traditions and rules that we have upheld for centuries," Maya said to my face.
They were all seated, and there was no judge in the chair. Maya and I were standing in the center. Maya motioned for the guards to back up, and the two of us took a step forward, facing each other. The trial has begun.
"The trial rules are simple," Maya explained. "We'll have a debate, and whoever comes out on top will win Hina."
I inhaled deeply, feeling the power within me. I'd never been in a trial before, but I was determined to succeed. Hina was in the courtroom with them all.
"I welcome you all; today we have gathered to witness a trial demanded by Sansa Elsher, Alpha Xavier's bride. There is no judge, but the decision will be made based on your votes; since Xavier is not present, I hope you all make sound decisions." Maya stated to the general public
Maya's pack was larger than the oak's pack. Everyone expected her to win in the end. I abruptly lost hope.
"As you are all aware, we have traditions to follow, and we have done so for centuries but there is a conflict. The Mountain pack is part of the Oak pack, and while we agree that Xavier is an Alpha, she is not the pack's Luna, and she has no right to break the rules or demand a trial." Maya stated
Maya's statement stunned everyone. She had been preparing to make that point. Not only was the trial about Hina, but Maya had already decided to drag me in for challenging her.
"You're denying she's not Luna? You are the one who is breaking the rule by refusing to accept her." Jerry stood up and said
"To be clear, an alpha claimed his Luna by performing the unbreakable bond ritual. The ritual between Xavier and Sansa has not been completed; she will not be Luna until she completes the ritual. As an Oak, I refuse to accept her as the Oak pack's Luna." Everyone was taken aback by Maya's statement.
Maya decided to create a commotion about Luna and the ritual to win with her dirty tricks. I had no idea what kind of filthy mess I had gotten myself into.
"The bond between a Luna and her Alpha is sacred, and she cannot hold the title of Luna without it," Maya explained to everyone.
She didn't have anything to attack me with, so she began playing dirty tricks on me.
My eyes blazed with determination as I stood tall. "I may not have completed Xavier's traditional unbreakable bond ritual, but that doesn't mean I'm not the Luna. The bond between Luna and her pack is about more than just rituals; it is about the love, trust, and protection I have shown the Oak Pack. They've accepted me as their Luna, which should suffice." I started this confidently.
Maya smirked as she raised an eyebrow. "Love, trust, and protection? How can you defend your pack when you can't even defend yourself?"
"What exactly do you mean, Maya?" Jerry's voice could be heard from the crowd, and he felt threatened as well.
"Remember how she got hurt? As a result, she was unable to complete the ritual of an unbreakable bond. She should have shielded herself." Maya mocked
When Jerry looked angry, Amara grabbed his hand and forced him to sit back down.
I could feel my rage rising, but I kept my cool. "I may not be physically strong, but I have authority because Xavier is not present. I have the wisdom, intelligence, and strategic thinking to keep the pack safe in various ways," I said
Maya let out a harsh laugh that echoed throughout the room. "What exactly are wisdom, intelligence, and strategic thinking? You've only been here a few months and already think you've got everything figured out? You have no idea what it's like to lead a pack; anyone who can't follow the tradition isn't a true Luna." Maya set me off.
"Cowards are those who keep others against their will." I mocked
Everyone could smell what I was talking about. That was something none of them expected. because they were all forbidden from discussing sensitive topics.
I spat out the words I had been holding inside for a long time: "I don't support injustice or that tradition in which an innocent person is claimed by another against her will."
The crowd was swept up in the tidal wave of the unpredictable trial. They were all staring at me. Amara appeared distressed. I was aware that I had said something inappropriately sensitive in my rage.
Edward appeared disturbed as if everything were slipping through their fingers. He appeared dissatisfied.
"The pronouncement of wonder, You are calling our tradition into question. Things that have been in place for centuries cannot be changed. Don't start a war you know you're going to lose." Maya had threatened me.
"Hina has been claimed against her will; I wonder how many of them are here against their will," I said
I couldn't study the sea of people and what they were thinking because everyone was whispering. I wanted to gain their trust to gain strong ground and support.
"Rules are made to keep everything in order, but injustice cannot be called a tradition in the name of rules."
"Did you start the trial to discuss the pronouncement of wonder, or did you start the trial to keep Hina with you?" Maya inquired.
"It's all connected; Hina is the bride to be claimed by an Oak Pack member, but no one has asked her if she wants to live here," I explained.
"It's none of your business how things work here; the traditions were followed by... " Maya's voice faded into the background.
I was watching the audience, and the majority of them were disappointed in me and offended by my remark about the topic.
Maya spoke about the importance of preserving their traditions and the consequences of breaking them, and I listened intently. I could feel the other pack members' eyes on me, watching and judging my every move.