Alpha Jacob went to the front of the pack and stood before both Elders, his face was defeated, I could feel his wolf reach for mine but I blocked it at every path. I couldn't afford to be weak. The bond was something to be treasured but for those of us that was chucked away, it was nothing but a curse.
My heart was thumping as I stared at him and as he stared back, his eyes didn't wander from my face. I could see the pain in his eyes, the regret that furrowed in his brow, the sadness that gathered in the corners of his mouth. I could feel a lump forming in my throat as both Elder's looked at him. It was the first time I was unable to read their expressions for both held a poker face that was unreadable.
"Alpha Jacob Warner do you have anything that you would like to say before we pass our judgement?" Elder Reece questioned.
"Firstly I want to apologise to the pack for my decisions. It doesn't matter what I was told or what was rumoured. I should have taken the initiative to look into the claims against my true mate. It was a decision that I made and take full responsibility for. No one forced me to claim a mate that wasn't mine. I rejected this pack's rightful Luna and it is an insult to you. For that I am sorry." He hangs his head.
"Secondly, I started a war with the Rouge Xavier following the lies of Leanne. You would think that I would have learned the first time, that I would have checked my facts before believing a pathological liar." He lets out a huge breath. "But I didn't, again I followed her words and started a fight with people that didn't deserve it. Innocent wolves have died because of my poor leadership, because of my own pride. I have not been the Alpha you deserve."
"The biggest apology I owe is to my mate, although she is Loretta now. In my eyes she will always be Louise." His eyes meet mine and his voice begins to crack. "Louise, I can say that I was manipulated, I could say that I was lied to, I could even argue that it wasn't my fault. But I won't insult you like that. I rejected you without truly knowing you. I chose your twin sister over you because of rumours that never held any merit. I am truly sorry for the pain and loneliness that you experienced. Being away from your pack and being rejected by your mate. I am ashamed of my actions and I will forever carry the guilt with me. No amount of sorries could ever make what I did right. I wronged you and our." A tear escapes his eye.
Throughout the pack, muffled cries could be heard from numerous members. I could feel the turmoil of different emotions in the room, sadness, grief and anger at everything this pack has been through. I let out a long sigh and move my eyes away from his and pinch the bridge of my nose at the pain that I am feeling. I feel my wolf allow the pack's grief transfer to me and all I can do is shake my head at her actions.
Elder Reece and Robert look at Jacob and both of them have a look of pity on their face. Never had Elder's had to punish an Alpha who reported himself for his own crimes. They looked at him with pity. "The charges that you have been found guilty of are: Rejecting your mate and rejecting the pack's rightful Luna. You have been found guilty of claiming a mate who was not yours without Elder consultation. You have failed to investigate accusations made against your rightful Luna. You have initiated and engaged with an illegal war against rouge wolves for false reasons." Elder Robert states.
"For your punishment we would like to invite Loretta Romano forward." Elder Robert commands.
I look at Benji in confusion and furrow my brow. I was unsure and uncertain why I was being asked to have an input in his punishment. It wasn't something that I felt comfortable with. All I ever wanted was the truth to be known but for some reason the weight of the punishments bestowed on my family and mate felt heavy. It was difficult to comprehend and the lump in my throat was getting bigger and bigger.
I shook my head and pushed myself up from my chair and made my way to the front. The Elder's looked at me and their face was filled with pity and sympathy for the way that the Redbridge pack has failed me, not just as a pack mate but as their rightful Luna.
"Loretta Romano, despite the path Alpha Jacob chose, you were chosen by the Goddess herself to be the Luna of the Redbridge pack." Elder Robert states.
His statement causes my wolf to howl, the pride in her voice vibrates through my bones and no matter how much I try to push her away, to coerce her into the back of my mind. She refuses to ignore the call of the Elder. I feel her claw and scratch to the surface and all I can do is push her away while my fist clenches.
"Loretta" Elder Reece speaks calmly. "I can feel your wolf, she wants to come forward, she wants control. Why do you deny the role that you were born to fulfil?"
I grit my teeth and I can feel my molars grind. "I... don't want her."
"What do you mean child?" Elder Reece's eyes widen.
"She abandoned me. She left me on my own. I was human for nearly eight years and the first time she speaks to me is when she is in front of the precious mate who rejected her." I spit in disgust and anger.
Jacob's eyes darken. His appearance and aura shifts. His scent becomes stronger and more muskier than ever before. It's then that I sense his wolf is present. My wolf is going nuts wanting him no matter how much I put her down.
"Mate. I am sorry for my foolish human, you deserve better. You deserve the world. I am sorry I couldn't stop him, I tried to speak to him but he refused to listen. Human made too many mistakes." He shakes his head as his husky voice trickles through my ears. My wolf purrs as she continues to scratch her way to freedom. "You are the better part of me, the better part of us. All I wanted was my mate and he refused my one request. I knew your sister was pure evil but he ignored me. He segregated himself from me. The only control I had was the marking. He tried to leave a permanent mark, but I refused to claim her. Her mark disappeared after six months. I love my mate." With those words his wolf stretched Jacob's hand out and lightly touched my forearm.
It was then that the seal broke. I staggered on my feet as my wolf broke free from her mental chains. I felt my eyes darken as she pushed me to the back of my mind where I had no control, no constraint. My anger was simmering as I watched from the backseat as both Elder's watched the scene unfold in front of them.
"Mate, I love you too. I had to leave my human, she wouldn't have been able to survive the pain or the rejection, she would have died. I disappeared, I took the brunt but I am weak now. Too many years have passed, my strength is not what it used to be." My wolf hung her head as a tear escaped her eye. Jacob's wolf brought his hand to my cheek and wiped the stray tear away, the small fireworks from the remnants of our bond sparked across the skin he touched. "My human can not forgive your human, too much damage was done. Not just to our bond but she felt abandoned by me and she is resentful because of that. I left her alone but she doesn't understand why I left her. I know it is not your fault, I feel and see the struggle you went through with your human to claim us. I understand you did what you could." My wolves voice cracks with pain. I feel her heart break and my head begins to feel heavy.
"Mate, I will not live without you." Jacob's wolf growls in protest.
"I do not have a lot of time left." My wolf smiles sadly. "My bond with the pack has grown, my connection to you is hanging by a thread but it is the strongest it has felt in years. I will not survive unless human accepts me, accepts us." My wolf cries.
"How long do you have?" Jacob's wolf asks.
"Less than forty-eight hours." My wolf sighs in disappointment.
Jacob's wolf gives us a tight nod. He looks at me deeply in the eyes. "You know my decision."
With that I manage to push my wolf to the back of my mind. I gasp for air as I clutch my chest. I feel my wolf and we are more connected than we have ever been. I feel her emotions roll through me, the heartache she felt, the loneliness she endured, the pain she feels from being away from her mate. I let the tears well in my eyes.
Elder Roberts lets out a small cough, making me realise that we are not on our own for the whole pack and Elders had witnessed the interaction of our wolves. My heart breaks for my wolf as her words linger in my mind, she has less than forty-eight hours to live unless I accept Jacob as my mate.
"Well with that interaction, we will hold the deliberation of your punishment once Loretta Romano makes her decision. For it would not be right for us to punish you without taking into account what Miss Romano wants. She is the one who has suffered the most and we need to take into consideration her decision before we make ours. We will reconvene in two days. In the meantime we will leave with the prisoners and return then. Please make sure John White is taken to the pack cells."
I gulp loudly and feel the weight of the decision I must make on my shoulders. I look at Benji who has tears in his eyes. He always was one for a tragic love story. Our wolves are suffering from the decisions that we have made as the human counterpart. I can't help but feel guilty for separating them. I give the elders a tight nod while my lips are pursed.
"Everyone is dismissed. We will meet here in two days at twelve in the afternoon where Miss Romano would have made a decision." Elder Reece announces.
It's then that both Elder's stroll out of the pack hall with the pack members following behind them, leaving only me and Jacob behind.