Chapter Fifty-Five

“Because!” she snarled and rose to glare at her parents. “You were weak. Both of you were so weak. I deserved to be a ranked wolf. I worked my ass off to become stronger, only to find myself stuck in the middle with you two.” She looked disgusted.

Her parents reeled back from the hate. “We loved you,” Sheila whispered, her voice trembling.

“What’s so wrong with being an unranked wolf?” someone from the stands shouted.

“Yeah?” another called down. Soon, the entire pack was riled up.

“Everything!” Amanda stood and whirled on the crowd. “You are weak. Unimportant. Poor. Pathetic wolves who are happy in your pathetic, insignificant lives. I deserve to be a luna, I deserve to lead. I deserve—” She stomped her foot.

“Nothing.” My voice echoed around the clearing. “You deserve nothing.” Amanda turned back to me with a glare. “Being an alpha, or luna, isn’t something we deserve. It isn’t even something we earn. We are born to lead. We are born stronger, faster, bigger than normal wolves, not to lord over them, but to keep them safe. You think being an alpha is about power? You are too stupid to realize it’s about protection. It’s about listening to everyone in your pack, even the lowest, and making them feel heard, loved.” My lip lifted. Amanda had missed the importance of the ranking. “You think the Betas and Gammas lord over the pack, but their jobs are to support the Alpha and Luna. You know nothing of pack structure, even less about pack dynamics. You would be a horrible luna.”

“Well, we will see.” She smirked as she stared at my father. “If you think Aurora is going to be my luna, you are wrong. Her plan failed.” My father finally got back to his feet and pushed Amanda back to her knees. “Stay on your knees. The judged aren’t allowed to stand until sentencing.”

The gasp that went through the pack was deafening. “Judgement?” Sheila’s voice wavered as she dropped to her knees. “Please, Alpha.”

“I’m sorry, Sheila, but she shows no signs of remorse. She colluded with Aurora to deceive this pack.” My father turned and settled back on his throne. He patted the seat next to him and held out a hand, but I couldn’t settle. My wolves were struggling to stay back. Fur rippled farther up my arms and onto my chest.

“Dad?” I walked closer to him. I panted. “I can’t hold on for much longer.”

“It’s okay, pup. I have you.” He weaved his fingers into mine, and I could feel my wolves settle a bit. He turned to face the crowd. He mind-linked Ronnie, but left it open so that everyone heard. “Bring Aurora to the Agora for her crimes.”

There was silence on the other end, then Ronnie’s voice called back. “She’s gone. Beck is injured, but Aurora is gone.” Everyone gasped as my father shot to his feet. He released my hand, which left me alone to struggle with my wolves.

“Doc, head to the pack house now. Save Beck.” My father called out as Amanda laughed.

“You thought you won? Aurora is smarter and stronger than all of you combined.” My father growled, but she kept mocking him. “She will take this pack and kill you all.” She laughed harder, but my father was focused on the pack.

“Calm down.” My father’s voice boomed through the Agora. “Warriors, I want you all back on the borders. Greyson, I need you to go scent the cell and track her. Let’s go, people.”

Amanda kept cackling, and I lost the tiny thread I had and charged her, tackling her to the ground. “You think this is funny? Are you so sure Aurora is going to win?” She smiled up at me. “Why? Because of her magic?” I watched her freeze under me. “I have a secret, Amanda,” I leaned over her and put my lips right against her ear, and whispered so only she could hear me. “So do I. And I removed the spell she had on my father already.” She slammed back against the ground and stared up at me as I grinned down at her. “Don’t believe me?”

“You’re lying.”

“I burned my mother’s emerald wolf necklace, and the skin of my father's right hand, last night.” She paled as I whispered it.

“No.” She shook her head as I felt my teeth elongate.

My voice was barely a growl. “You picked the losing side, Amanda. And now, you’re banished from this pack.”

“You can’t make that decision,” she screamed as she scrambled out from under me.

I stood on shaking legs, and I felt my first arm snap. I screamed my anger. “From this day forth, Amanda Williams is banished from the Silvermoon pack.” Sheila and Jay let out a cry.

“You can’t do this.”

“I make this decree in front of the Moon Goddess herself. You have turned against your pack, and now you will suffer the consequences.” My voice rose, whipping around the Agora.

“You are no one. You can’t do this.”

“I am an alpha,” I screamed as I lost the battle with Nix.