Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180

ZADE

68

The crowd was buzzing with anticipation, their eagerness overwhelming me a bit as I forced myself to remain focused on the trial.

I scanned the room, looking for any sign of Lynn or Lumina and near the front of the room, I spotted Lynn and Lumina being escorted to their seats by guards. Instead of chains or restraints, they were simply flanked by pack warriors – it was a small mercy I’d been able to negotiate with the elders, earlier today. I didn’t want the pack to know that their Luna was being held captive for a crime that

they didn’t commit. And I needed to make it up to Lumina and Lynn somehow.

Lynn’s eyes found mine immediately, and the hatred burning in her eyes was so intense it nearly made me stagger.

I forced myself to look away and took my place at the front of the hall, where the elder council was already seated. All the elders

were there. Old men that my father had appointed who were the ones who made new rules or put away existing ones.

Simon looked particularly pleased with himself, no doubt anticipating the spectacle of watching Lyn pay for his crimes with his life.

I raised my hand for silence, and the crowd immediately quieted, seeing this as they were all waiting for me.

“Members of the Shadow Moon Pack,” I began, my voice carrying easily through the large space, feeling all eyes on me.

“We are gathered here today to witness the trial of a witch who has committed crimes against our people and our laws.”

Murmurs of approval rippled through the audience, as they started murmuring amongst themselves before quieting down, not wanting to miss anything. They were expecting justice, expecting to see the magical threat to their community eliminated once and for all.

“Rivers,” I called to my beta, who was standing near the side entrance, his hands behind his back, waiting for me. “Bring in the

accused.”

He bowed his head once and went outside, while we were all waiting for him. I could see Lynn’s face get more paler as she fixed her

eyes on the entrance, waiting, her hands clenched together in anticipation.

Lumina was holding her hand tightly, as if trying to discourage her from doing something stupid, but she avoided my gaze as

well..she wasn’t going to forgive me for this betrayal either.

There was a commotion outside – shouting, struggling, the sound of someone being forcibly dragged against their will. The crowd turned toward the entrance with anticipation, ready to see the witch who had dared to use forbidden magic on their territory.

Rivers burst through the doors, dragging a woman behind him with enough force that she stumbled and fell when he released her. He threw her down in front of my chair like she was nothing more than a sack of grain, and the entire assembly gasped in shock.

It wasn’t Lyn lying on the floor in front of me. It was Amaya, Simon’s mate, her hands bound with lead cuffs and her face streaked with tears and dirt from whatever struggle had brought her here.

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19:58 Mon, Jan 26

Chapter 180

I stood up slowly and walked over to where she was trying to push herself back to her feet. Without hesitation, I placed my boot on the back of her neck and pressed down, forcing her face against the cold stone floor.

“Well, well, well, I said, letting my voice carry the cold satisfaction I actually felt for the first time in days. “How ironic to meet you

like this, Simon’s mate.”

Rivers stepped forward and dumped the contents of a large bag onto the floor beside Amaya’s prone form. Dark crystals, dried herbs, bones carved with symbols, ritual knives – all the tools of dark witchcraft scattered across the stone like evidence of guilt.

The crowd erupted in shocked exclamations and angry shouts. No one had expected this twist, least of all the elder council, who were staring at the scene with obvious confusion and growing alarm.

Simon shot to his feet, his face purple with rage as he pointed an accusatory finger at me. “What the hell is this?” he shouted over the noise of the crowd. “This is some kind of sick joke! My mate is not a witch!”

I pressed my foot down harder on Amaya’s neck, enjoying the way she whimpered under the pressure. “Your mate,” I said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “has been practicing dark magic for years. She’s the one who created the curse that was slowly killing Ollie. She’s the one who used forbidden witchcraft to drain the life from an innocent child.”

The lie rolled off my tongue as smoothly as honey, backed up by the planted evidence Rivers had scattered and the theatrical performance I was giving. The crowd was eating it up, their anger shifting from the absent Lyn to the woman currently pinned beneath

my boot.

“This is impossible,” Simon sputtered, but I could see doubt beginning to creep into his expression as he looked at the damning

evidence surrounding his mate.

–

“Is it?” I asked, finally removing my foot and allowing Amaya to lift her head. “Tell me, Simon – where was your mate the night Ollie first became ill? Where was she when the magical attacks on him began? I think if we investigate thoroughly, we’ll find that every incident coincides perfectly with your mate’s whereabouts.”

Of course, none of that was true. Amaya was guilty of nothing more than being married to a man I needed to destroy. But the crowd didn’t know that, and the evidence Rivers had planted would support whatever story I chose to tell.

I looked out at the sea of faces staring back at me, all of them waiting to see what justice would look like for this unexpected revelation. In the front row, Lynn was watching with obvious confusion, clearly trying to understand what was happening and why I wasn’t dragging Lyn out to face execution.

This was my gamble, my desperate attempt to save the people I cared about while destroying the enemies who threatened them. I just hoped it would work.

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19:58 Mon, Jan 26

Reborn From Regret A Second Chance at Luna’s Heart