Chapter 65: The Trial
"Where did you hear the rumours from?" Alexander demanded coldly, his deep voice cutting through the hallway like ice.
Aevia’s stomach dropped at the question. She slowly turned to face Alexander, her gaze steady and almost accusatory. "It is everywhere, Alexander," she sneered. "Even the maid who mops the floors knows about it. They are claiming Yuki bewitched your sons."
"When you agreed that I should bring Yuki here, you promised to protect her, Alexander," Aevia spoke up, her voice rising with remembered hurt. "Is this how you protect her? Is this how you protect me? No one respects us here." Her eyes started turning red with unshed tears and rising anger.
Alexander’s fist clenched by his side. "Can we speak inside? I promise to get to the bottom of this," he assured her, though his words felt hollow in the tense air.
Aevia stared at him for several seconds before finally nodding. She turned to Yuki and offered her a weak smile. Her hand squeezed Yuki’s gently.
"Come on."
Yuki followed silently, still struggling to process everything that had happened. It felt as though her entire life had changed overnight and she had been given no time to catch her breath.
Alexander stepped aside and allowed them to enter.
Alexander led them into the spacious office and guided them toward a comfortable lounge area with plush leather seats arranged around a low table.
The air smelled strongly of aged alcohol, rich coffee, polished wood, and old paper, creating a heavy, masculine atmosphere.
The room felt cold and expensive like the owner, every detail worthy of the alpha’s private sanctuary. Dark mahogany panels lined the walls, heavy velvet curtains framed tall windows, and ornate bookshelves groaned under the weight of ancient tomes.
An intimidating mahogany desk dominated one side of the room, its surface neatly arranged with documents and a gleaming fountain pen. Balcony doors remained tightly shut, while the windows offered an excellent view of the lush gardens below, where morning light filtered through the trees.
Alexander did not sit behind his imposing desk. Instead, he chose the seat directly across from them. Yuki’s stomach twisted as she could still catch the triplets’ faint scent in the room, sharper than normal. Having a wolf came with its disadvantages.
Yuki noticed how exhausted he looked. His face, which bore a striking resemblance to Kaden’s and Kieran’s, had gained a few new wrinkles seemingly overnight. The tired lines did not make the powerful alpha any less gorgeous. If anything, they made the usually intimidating man appear more humane.
Alexander raked his fingers through his hair with visible frustration. Aevia could see how worked up he was, but she stood her ground and stayed by Yuki’s side.
"First of all, I want to apologise for my sons’ behaviour," he started, his voice weary.
Yuki was genuinely stunned. She was not sure if he was being sincere or simply treating her better now that her status had become questionable within the pack. After all, she technically held the power over the future of the pack.
He placed both hands on his thighs and leaned forward slightly. "They are immature, and no one saw this coming. It does not justify their actions, but things are really difficult for them to accept," he said in a diplomatic tone.
"So what do you expect from me, Alpha?" Yuki cut in sharply. Alexander looked a bit surprised by her boldness, though a flicker of amusement crossed his features. She was more confident than he had expected, much like her sister Aevia. It was crazy but he always felt Aevia never felt intimidated by his wolf which was hilarious considering he was an Alpha werewolf with lycan royalty ancestry and Aevia’s wolf was a regular wolf.
"Do you expect me to wait for mates that clearly do not love me or want me?" Yuki continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "Your sons hate me and I cannot waste my life waiting for someone who refuses to see me." Inside, her wolf howled in protest at her words, but Yuki refused to back down.
Her statement silenced Alexander for a moment. A man used to being obeyed found himself on the receiving end for once.
"I never wanted this, Alpha," Yuki added quietly. "And honestly, if possible, I want to stay out of the drama even if it means publicly rejecting them. I would never use witchcraft on them."
The room fell silent for a long beat before Alexander spoke again.
"I understand your concerns, Yuki, but you cannot make a rash decision right now," he said in a serious tone, then drew in a deep breath. "Rejecting a mate is a serious matter and you might never get a second-chance mate. Take things slowly," he urged her.
"But I doubt that would work," Yuki muttered, biting back the rest of her words. She wanted to say she did not want to become a homewrecker. Fated mates could fall apart just like Alexander and Estelle had, but she held her tongue. Her fists clenched so tightly that her claws pierced her palms, drawing tiny beads of blood. The stench of blood filled the room.
"Fine, I get where you are coming from," Alexander replied calmly, his aura carrying a soothing quality similar to Kieran’s composed demeanour. It helped Yuki relax slightly despite herself. "But let us handle one thing at a time. First, the witchcraft allegations. We need to prove your innocence."
"But I did not do it," Yuki cut in angrily, her voice rose sharply.
"Words alone cannot prove anything," Alexander replied steadily.
"So what can we do?" Yuki asked hesitantly.
Alexander straightened up in his seat. His expression became serious. "Using witchcraft to fake a mate bond isn’t new," he began. "Rare, but not unheard of. However, a witchcraft bond is ultimately a fraud."
Yuki listened carefully. "As long as you are truly fated by the Moon Goddess, the Trial can prove it."
A knot formed in her stomach. "The Trial?" she repeated quietly.
Alexander nodded and continued. "If you and the triplets consent to it, the Trial will determine whether the bond is genuine. Once it confirms a true mate bond, these accusations will lose their foundation."
Yuki swallowed. The certainty in his voice should have reassured her. Instead, she felt more nervous. "And if we do this?" she asked.
Alexander’s expression darkened slightly. "Then it stops being a private family matter." The weight behind those words settled heavily over the room.
"The moment a Trial is called, the Pack Council becomes involved. The elders, nobles, and officials will all be informed. Every eye in Ravencourt will be watching."
Yuki’s stomach twisted.
She knew she was innocent and had done nothing wrong. Yet the thought of standing before the entire pack and having her fate judged made her chest tighten. For the first time since waking up, she truly understood the scale of what she had been dragged into. The mate bond was no longer just about her and the triplets.
It had become a matter for the entire kingdom.
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