Chapter 144

Elroy POV

Our hostess insisted we have a meal before we left. And then we bid her and Jenny farewell.

“I’ve just realized,” I said as I took her hand. “I don’t know your name.”

She was twice my age, but she almost blushed as she answered, “Harriet, Alpha Elroy. And you and your family are welcome to my inn anytime.”

I turned to the others and nodded, and soon we were all standing there in our fur. Olivia pulled her head back and howled, and soon I, Mother, Alpha Claudia, and Jordan had joined her. The thought of what Emma had done fueled our song, and distantly I heard some wolves, perhaps workers in the fields, join us.

We trotted quickly toward the palace, covering most of the distance in just over two hours, before I realized something was wrong.

The Palace was set on its own lands far from the city center, but even so, there would be merchants, couriers, and others on the road that led to the Palace gates. Instead, the road was deserted.

Olivia came up to my side and chuffed. Where is everyone?

This isn’t good, I thought back.

Emma must have realized we were talking things out or at least that things aren’t going her way.

I winced, and a thought escaped: A Luna who is rejected by her Alpha does not do well in life afterward.

What?

Oh, Goddess. That absolutely black-hearted witch made me say that to you.

Olivia stopped, and the party came to a halt. I turned to her, and she gently scented me around my mouth and nape.

We must both forgive each other now, or she still holds power over us.

I have more to be forgiven for than you.

She gave a soft wolf-laugh. It’s not a competition.

“So, do either of you have any idea where everyone has gone?” Claudia asked, and I looked over to see that she, Iris, and Jordan were standing in the road in their skin. Olivia and I joined them.

“Only that it must have something to do with Emma,” I answered.

We all looked to the horizon where the silhouette of the Palace was visible against the afternoon sky. As one, we moved forward still in our human forms.

About a half-mile from the Palace gates, we came to the large stone square where ceremonies and challenges traditionally took place, and I was unsurprised—and certain the others were too—that a contingent of Ravencrest wolves were waiting for us, perhaps a hundred of them. Another twenty or so wolves, some in skin, some in fur, were standing there with them.

Olivia and I came to a halt at the entrance of the square and faced them.

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked.

Ravencrest Alpha Hermes stepped forward, Emma at his side.

“My daughter has explained the crimes against Lunaris that the so-called Luna Olivia has perpetrated,” Hermes said.

I could tell that despite the show of solidarity the Ravencrest wolves were making, many were surprised and displeased with his words. Others, however, looked elated.

Now we see whom Emma has enthralled and whom she has not, Olivia told me.

Indeed.

“And what would these crimes be, exactly?” I asked, making sure my voice carried even as I kept my tone dry.

“You should know,” Hermes said.

“So, am I her accomplice?” I asked.

Hermes made a show of sadness and shook his head. “No, her victim.”

“Really, even though I am the Alpha of Lunaris?” I looked around. “I certainly don’t remember being victimized.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“How convenient for the charges you’re making that I have been hurt without my knowledge.” I made it clear I was turning my attention from Hermes to Emma. “Of course, you would know about that, Emma of Ravencrest. Wouldn’t you?”

Emma, who had been keeping herself under control to that point, scowled fiercely and stepped in front of her father. There was a low murmur of disapproval of her violation of custom.

“I proclaim myself here your true fated mate. Olivia took you from me against the wishes of the Goddess when her original plans for marriage were cursed with her fiancé’s infertility. Since then, she has abused your and the Pack’s faith and trust in her to the detriment of all.”

At my mental nod, Olivia called out, “Is that so?”

Emma’s chin went up. “Yes. In fact, I have someone here who can testify to the harm you have done to the White Paw omegas.”

“The ones she helped bring in from outside the walls?” I asked even though my heart thudded at the suspicion of just whom Emma had ready to “testify.”

“Yes!” called a new voice as Ines joined Emma’s side.

I felt Olivia’s pained reaction, but her voice was calm as she asked, “Ines? You feel I have brought harm to White Paw by bringing you and your people into Lunaris Pack?”

“No, not at first!” Ines called out. She couldn’t manage the calm-but-carrying voice of an alpha and was using simple volume instead. I wondered if she knew it made her sound slightly hysterical. “But soon I could see it was only a ploy to solidify your power in the pack by playing at being some great Luna!”

She turned to address the wolves around us. “She tried to dictate our actions with her so-called White Paw Initiative! She wanted to subjugate us to Lunaris just as we had been mistreated before!”

She turned to Emma with a look of pure adoration. “Emma of Ravencrest showed us what was really going on. We owe her—”

“What the Goddess are you talking about?” a voice I hadn’t heard in a while demanded before Far stepped forward. “Luna Olivia saved us and was doing everything to make sure we were welcomed as equals into Lunaris.”

“Lies!” Ines spat. “You are no better than Olivia! You would have us bow down to a new group of alphas and again serve their basest—”

“What proof do you have of this?” Fay wanted to know. “What shred of evidence do you have that the Luna has done anything but be White Paw’s greatest advocate?”

“Proof of all this will be offered to the council in time,” Emma said as Ines’s mouth closed with a visible snap. “Ines speaks as one who knows the true Luna of Lunaris and the true mate of Alpha Elroy.”

She held out her hands to the wolves around us. “I demand to be wed to my fate mate and take my place at his side as Luna.”

“Luna Olivia is carrying Alpha Elroy’s child!” a wolf I couldn’t see called out.

Emma pressed her hands to her heart. “Yes, and I call on asylum for the child.”

“Asylum?” Olivia asked, and I heard the ice in her voice even as she seemed otherwise calm.

Emma sneered at her. “Yes, you will not be allowed to corrupt an innocent pup with your schemes and falsehoods. I have seen the child in a vision from the Goddess, crying out to be saved from that fate! Once his birth has been induced, the child will be given to his father and his true mother.”

“It’s a she-wolf I carry,” Olivia said, and I had never seen her use the alpha voice so effectively. Everyone in the square seemed to freeze. “You’ve seen no vision, and you will not be touching my daughter.”

She paused. “You and your black magic arts have no place in my life, my mate’s life, or the life of anyone in Lunaris.”

Several in the crowd gasped. Others snarled. Emma sneered even as she turned pale.