carriage rattled along the dusty road, her mind raced with thoughts of the consequences awaiting her at the hands of the elders. Would they simply punish he

toic woman betrayed her fear with every furtive glance and tense movement. Her mother's distress

o a yet destructive moment of her life. She hadn't planned on getting caught up in the royal family's troubles, let alone aiding in Dranco's escape from Reed

r stomach. The sight of the imposing structure only served to underscore the gravity of her sit

ted by a sea of familiar faces, members of

hat h

ope she ro

t we gave them, they dec

of anticipation and judgment. Lyla squared her shoulders and forced

Lyla felt a knot form in her throat as she made her way to the center of the room, where a wooden box awaited her.

. She glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of her accusers and supporters alike. But it was the

the onslaught of questions she knew was coming. The murmurs of the crow

the Woodscrew pack," he began, his gaze piercing. "You stand accused

ad innocent," she replied firmly. "I never knew the man you ca

w furrowed in skepticism as he continued his questioning. "And yet, witnesses claim to hav

e that they must be mistaken," she said evenly. "As I mentioned befor

yelled from the back of the room, struggling to ge

la? It appears other people see

t believe him if I were you. I mean, the wounds on his face

ddenly, his tone cold. "The last time I visited your pack to collect Reeds' yearly tribute, you confr

. "I speak my mind when I see injustice," she retorted defiantl

Lyla answered carefully, sticking to her story and refusing to waver under pressur

clear to me, Lyla, that you and Prince Dranco have known each other for far longer than you care to

otest, to defend herself against the false accusations, but she knew it would be futile. Instead, she

ad known the outcome long before Turaq had spoken the words aloud. And as Diane, her

Lyla. I should have known you will be nothing but tro

en trust my

me, mother. I woul

and emotionally. But Lyla endured it in silence,

there, Dranco had probably escaped death, but what wait

hat she would serve as a slave in the palace, forc

Woodscrew. Only time would tell what would become of their once-proud packs, now torn apart by betrayal a