Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Scarlett’s POV

One by one, people from the party came forward, recounting their own twisted versions of events. Some claimed they saw me behaving “too friendly” with Gregory, while others described my state when I was carried out of the room, insinuating that I’d clearly had intentions of being with him. Each testimony struck me like a blow, my heart sinking deeper with every accusation. Their words twisted what had happened, casting shadows over innocent actions. making me out to be someone I was not.

Elder Tasha leaned forward, her expression a mask of cold disdain. “Do you still claim innocence?” she demanded, her tone daring me to fight against their

narrative.

I drew a trembling breath and lifted my chin, refusing to let them silence me. “If I had done anything with Gregory, my mates would have felt it. They would know,” I said, my voice faltering. “Please, ask them. I didn’t have his scent on me; they would have smelled it. I swear-”

The elder’s glare cut me off, his voice sharp with anger. “How dare you ask us to question the Alphas?” he spat. “They were not in the room with you. You

could have just as easily cleaned up, hidden the evidence, and gone to bed. Perhaps you thought you would wake before anyone noticed. And as for the mate

bond, you are forbidden to refer to the Alphas as your mates until you either confess or are proven innocent.”

His words shattered any illusion of fairness, and I felt my resolve crumble. Tears slipped down my face as the weight of their judgment pressed down on me. Person after person stood up, each one with a twisted version of events, each one casting doubt on my character. My heart broke a little more with every accusation, every hateful word. It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake from, each moment dragging me deeper into despair.

The silver on my wrists burned, cutting me off from the one thing that could offer me comfort. I strained against it, desperate to reach my mates, to feel their presence, their support. I tugged at the bond, trying to sense them, trying to reach Clay. For a brief moment, I thought I felt something-a flicker, a faint glimmer of his warmth-but it slipped away, leaving me alone and isolated.

As the crowd whispered and the elders looked down upon me with disdain, I realized that I was truly on my own. The truth didn’t matter here; what mattered was the spectacle, the judgment, and the satisfaction of punishing someone they’d never truly accepted.

I was wiping my tears when the doors to the hall burst open, and Clay strode in, his face a mask of fury. Lucian and Maxwell followed close behind, their expressions equally dark. Relief flooded me, but it was tempered by the uncertainty of what even their presence could accomplish here.

“Hasn’t this trial ended yet?” Clay’s voice cut through the hall, sharp and filled with impatience. The elders stood up, their faces flickering between surprise and irritation at the interruption.

“You are out of line, Alpha Clay,” the central elder snapped. “This is the council’s duty. You must allow us to do our job without interference.”

Lucian’s gaze was fierce, his voice a low growl. “Who is defending Scarlett?”

Silence fell over the hall, the crowd shifting uneasily, and realized with a pang that no one had even considered assigning me a defender. Maxwell’s grow broke the silence, and he stepped forward, his anger radiating in waves. “She only had his scent on her skin. Nothing more. If she had betrayed us, we would have felt it. Release her.”

Elder Tasha shook her head, unmoved. “There’s the matter of the wine. Wolfsbane mixed with Garnicia pollen–it’s no ordinary drug. With that in ber system, you wouldn’t have been able to sense her, even if you tried. Her gaze turned to me, cold and accusatory. “And she was in charge of the food and drink selection. You can’t ask us to ignore evidence that incriminates her so plamly.”

Clay let out a bitter laugh. “Can’t ignore it or won’t ignore it? It seems as though Scarlett is on trial here not as our mate, int as a Vladislas His words echoed in the hall, filled with defiance and an underlying truth that none could deny.

10:08 am Pppp

Chapter 88

The silence was heavy as Clay’s accusation settled, and could feel the contempt in the air, directed not just a that, despite my bond with Lucian, Clay, and Maxwell, my bloodline was a stain they couldn’t look past.

at me but at my heritage. It was painfully clear

Elder Tasha’s face twisted with displeasure, but she didn’t deny Clay’s words. Their judgment wasn’t impartial; it was laden with prejudice, a verdict shaped by my name as much as by the supposed evidence.

Tears stung my eyes, and I fought to keep my composure. The South was different. In my homeland, the Valkin Alpha’s power overruled any council; the decision of an Alpha would have been absolute. But here, the elders held sway over matters of loyalty and domestic disputes, and their authority was beyond reproach. Whoever had set this trap knew that, knew exactly how vulnerable I would be in this system.

My mates were here, fighting for me, but their hands were tied. Even their power couldn’t shift the council’s decision. The realization was devastating, and all I could do was stand there, clinging to the faint hope that their love and loyalty would somehow prevail against the deeply rooted prejudice of the North.

Comments

Michele Gremillion

it was a very good trap indeed. how did she get the drugs if she did what they say she did.

7 days ago

4

← SHARE

1 Comments >

0

10:08 am

PPPP.

Scarlett