The Prince’s Unwilling mate by Mutya

177 Ayla

Yesterday, lunch went by without a hitch. The entire pack was invited as always. Only the high-ranking wolves

have an obligation to go. Even with them, we cannot force them. Cynthia not coming to lunch was odd for her.

The people who knew her would know something was off. The Elders of the Council did not notice her absence. |

did and to me, a reassurance. Behaving like the prim and proper Princess was easier to do without having to

worry about what Cynthia would do.

it was

After what | thought was a successful lunch, we followed Griffin's plan. All in all, it was the perfect day. | took my

mind off the burden of needing to go to trial the next day. Now however | woke us to Griffin getting out of bed to

make us our coffee. For a few seconds, | lay back enjoying the view of Griffin walking off in his boxer shorts until

it dawned onwhat the reason was he got out of bed this early.

Because it wasn't so that we could go to work in time. It wasn’t’ t because we had fun plans we needed to be on

tfor. It was because an hour from now, | would have to relive the worst period of my life. On trial for

everyone and their mother to see. All so that in the end | could request punishment. So that the Council of Elders

could decide if what | wanted was a fair request. | would be judged if my suffering had been enough to warrant

whatever punishment | would request.

I hate all of it, | understand it is necessary. And that | cannot be the person to decide on Hannah's punishment

myself. Nor could the people

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aroundwho loved me. Their love forwould cloud their judgment. The only thing that | hated was the fact

that my story would be on display for all to see.

ork

When | walked into the meeting room where the trial would be held. Dressed to feel good. Dressed in clothes |

normally wouldn't wear but clothes that showed my rank. That madelook professional and powerful. It

almost was like an armor for me, and | knew | needed it. My eyes roamed around the room. Most of the people |

saw were the people | figured would be there, Isabella and Rodrick, Daniel and Kirsten, Griff, my parents, and of

course the Elders Dillion, Jessa, and sof the others were not in the stands but closer to the desk that would

serve as the stands. They would be called on as witnesses. Srandom pack members showed up. |

appreciated what they did because it was because they supported me. The only one | was truly surprised to see,

was Cynthia it was hard to believe that she was here because she wanted to

support me.

She has done nothing but causetrouble, she was hellbent on not acceptingas Griffin's mate and all that

cwith that. After hearing Hannah tellwhy she did all that she has done. Not just the kidnapping, but

everything she did before that too. It was for the exact sreasons as Cynthia did what she was doing now.

Causing all that trouble, it madewonder if Cynthia would one day escalate like that

too.

until | realized that they might have had the sreasoning behind.

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what they were doing. All the rest was completely different. Her father had told her how disappointed he was in

her more than once. He has apologized to us and disciplined her several times. Hannah's parents had fed her

obsessiveness because, to them, it was warranted. David did not try to stop Hannah's behavior for a little while

he did. Back when he figured | might be his mate. When he figured | might change and bechis obedient

mate. He never fully stopped because it stroked his ego and when it becclear he and | would never be

mates he stopped defendingat all.

Griffin was different, he protectedeven before he was sure | would accept him as my mate. | would never

want to leave him, but still. | know he would never stop protectingeven if | did. Because that is how he was,

and that is why Cynthia would never get as bad as Hannah. And that is why | despite everything pity Hannah.

“All may be seated” The Elder who would lead the trial was strict.

Everyone rushed to their seat, not wanting to annoy her. First order of business as King Roderick was the one

who needed to give an official statement as to why we wanted Hannah to be punished. What we accused her of

and in her case why we had only arrested her. He winked. atas if he wanted to reassureand then he

began his opening.

statement.

“The she-wolf we want punished has committed numerous crimes not just againstor my family. But against

the entire country on top of aiding several oth

heinous crimes. Like the murder of Alpha Philip

Birch and Luna Isabella Birch and their underage daughter.”

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177 Ayla

1288 Vouchers

Gasp of horror filled the room, most wolves in the entire country knew that David had killed his parents. But

hardly anyone knew about the fact that he killed his sister. As Rodrick explained as the main victim, | would

request the punishment as is custom with the Council of Elders. Stating that because | was his daughter-in-law

he would not request a formal punishment as it would be a conflict of interest. The court agreed. with this and

soon we could proceed.

During all this tand during preparing | feared having to relive what | have gone through again. Never did |

realize | would need to listen to the rest. Hearing all that they went through, how scared sad, and angry they

were when | was gone. How on multiple occasions Griffin alinost got seriously ill from missing. Mostly because he

had been starving himself not caring for anything other than finding me. | knew David had kept the entire Blood

Moon pack under his control with his Alpha voice. Somehow | never realized Hannah had helped with that too. It

was all, harder onthan talking about what happened to me.

Listening to everyone else’s hurt madefeel like a failure. Like | should have been there for my pack both old

and new. And for my wonderful mate, it all made what happened tofeel less important in the grand scheme

of things. For the moment | woke up from my coma, if we can even call it that. Everyone else had been

concerned with me. Everyone had toldhow sorry they were for what had happened to me. People had told