Chapter 3

Chapter Three: The Verdict

Elara's POV

“Let me go!”

My voice broke as the guards dragged me through the trees, their hands locked around my arms. I twisted and kicked, trying to pull myself free, but neither of them loosened his grip.

“Stop fighting, Princess.”

“I said let me go!” I dug my heels into the ground, but they kept pulling me forward. Tears blurred my vision as I looked over my shoulder one last time, searching between the trees for the black wolf.

I couldn't see him anymore.

The thought of leaving him behind made something twist inside my chest, but I pushed it away. I had more immediate problems.

The palace lights soon appeared through the trees, glowing against the dark sky. My steps faltered when I saw the familiar stone walls rising ahead of me.

The guards dragged me through the palace gates and across the courtyard. Servants and guards turned to stare as I struggled between them, my torn dress trailing through the dirt.

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.

Neither answered.

The moment we reached the stone building beside the eastern wing, the guards pulled open the doors and dragged me inside.

The kingdom priest was already waiting.

So was everyone else.

Elders from the pack stood along the walls, their faces tense as whispers moved through the room. My father, King Adrian, sat at the front beside Seraphina, while Evelina stood a short distance behind them.

I stopped in my tracks, my eyes falling on them.

One of the guards shoved me forward.

I stumbled into the center of the room and caught myself before I fell. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I looked around at the familiar faces surrounding me.

The murmurs grew louder.

“Three mates…”

“How could an Omega have three?”

“The Moon Goddess wouldn't make such a mistake.”

“Something must have happened.”

My fingers curled into the torn fabric of my dress.

I lowered my head as the whispers pressed in from every side.

Seraphina lifted one hand, and the room gradually fell silent.

Her eyes settled on me. “Priest,” she said, her voice sharp enough to cut through the remaining murmurs. “Confirm whether she manipulated her wolf during the Fated Mates Ceremony.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

The priest turned toward her, his brows drawing together. “Your Majesty, there is no way…”

“I want certainty,” Seraphina interrupted. “The law allows only one fated mate, yet three powerful wolves recognized her. If there is an explanation that protects the kingdom from this violation, I want to know it.”

The priest's gaze shifted toward me. “Come here.”

I hesitated before taking a few steps forward.

He raised his hands and closed his eyes as his fingers hovered near my chest.

A strange warmth moved through my body, and I held my breath.

The room remained completely silent as the priest examined the bond.

His brows pulled together, and his fingers moved slightly as though he were searching for something he couldn't quite reach. For several moments, he said nothing.

Then his hands slowly lowered. “Queen Seraphina,” he said carefully, “I cannot find any evidence that she manipulated her wolf.”

Seraphina's eyes narrowed. “Cannot find?”

The priest looked at her. “The bonds are real.”

A few elders exchanged uneasy glances.

The priest continued, “A wolf cannot be forced to recognize a fated mate. The bond comes from the Moon Goddess herself. I would need more time to understand why three bonds have awakened, but I can tell you this much, Elara did not create them.”

Seraphina shot to her feet. “Then explain it!”

The priest's lips parted, but no answer came.

Her hands tightened at her sides. “You just admitted the bonds are real. Three mates are forbidden by our laws, and yet she stands here carrying all three. Do you understand what that means?”

The priest remained silent.

Seraphina turned toward the elders. “If we allow this to continue, what happens when others begin questioning the laws that hold our kingdom together? What happens when every wolf believes the rules no longer apply to them?”

Several elders exchanged uneasy glances.

Then Seraphina's gaze returned to me.

“If the Moon Goddess has truly given her three mates, then this is not merely a personal matter. It threatens the order of this kingdom.”

The room fell silent, and my heart pounded as she pointed directly at me.

“She is a threat to this kingdom.”

My eyes widened. “No.”

Seraphina's voice hardened. “She has broken one of the oldest laws of our kind. Three mates are forbidden.”

“I didn't choose them!” My voice echoed through the chamber.

I stepped forward, tears burning my eyes. “I didn't do anything. I had no idea this was going to happen. I went to the ceremony like everyone else, and I never asked for any of this.”

Seraphina laughed coldly. “You expect us to believe that?”

“I swear I'm telling the truth.”

“You are lying.” She stepped closer, her eyes filled with disgust. “Every time you appear before this family, you bring humiliation with you. First, you became an Omega. Now you've disgraced our bloodline in front of the entire kingdom.”

My lips trembled. “I didn't mean to.”

“You never mean to,” she snapped. “Yet somehow, you always manage to destroy everything around you.

“Elara.” She stared at me coldly. “You are a complete disgrace.”

I shook my head as tears slipped down my cheeks. “Please…”

I turned toward my father. “Father, please.”

King Adrian hadn't moved. He sat beside Seraphina with his hands resting against the arms of his chair, his face impossible to read.

I searched his eyes for anything that might tell me he would help me.

“Father,” I whispered again. “I didn't do this.”

His gaze remained fixed on me. Then he looked at Seraphina. “I agree with the Luna Queen.”

My breath caught. For a moment, I couldn't hear anything.

My father's words echoed in my head, and my knees nearly gave way.

I had always known my father didn't care for me. I knew what he thought of an Omega daughter, and I knew I had never been anything more than an embarrassment to him. Still, some foolish part of me had believed that when it mattered, he would choose me.

A sob slipped from my lips as I lowered my head, but when I looked up again, Seraphina's lips had curved into a small, satisfied smile. I saw it clearly.

She tried to hide it, but I saw the satisfaction in her eyes. “Take her to the prison,” she ordered.

Two guards immediately stepped forward.

“She will be executed at sunrise tomorrow.”

My head snapped up. “No!”

The guards grabbed my arms.

“Father, please!” I struggled against them as they pulled me toward the door.

“Father, please don't let them do this!”

King Adrian remained seated, neither moving nor saying a word.

I kept my eyes on him until the guards dragged me out of the room. “Please!” I cried one last time, but he never moved. The doors closed behind me, cutting off the last glimpse of my father.

***

Moments later, they dragged me into the palace prison, and the heavy iron door slammed shut behind me.

I spun around and gripped the bars with both hands. “Open this door!”

The guards continued walking.

“I'm a princess!” I shouted after them. “You can't lock me in here!”

Their footsteps faded down the corridor, but I struck the door with both hands and shouted, “Open it!” When no one answered, I hit the iron again, but it barely moved beneath my fists. After several more attempts, my strength finally gave out.

I slid down against the door until I was sitting on the cold stone floor. For a moment, I simply stared at my hands. Then the tears came.

I pressed my palms against my face as a broken sob escaped me. “Why?”

My wolf curled inside me, trembling beneath the weight of everything that had happened.

Three mates. A forbidden bond. An execution.

I lowered my hands and stared through the bars at the empty corridor.

Tomorrow morning, I would be dead.

The thought made my stomach twist, and I pulled my knees against my chest, burying my face against them as another sob shook my body.

For the first time that night, I stopped fighting. And in the silence of the prison, I wondered if the Moon Goddess had truly cursed me.