The Rise Of The Betrayed Luna (Amorah and Holmes) novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

AMORAH

1. MM.

The messenger arrived withm minutes. His head lowered as he stopped a few feet away from Conrad, then he extended a sealed document forward with both hands. I did not wait for Conrad to speak before I stepped closer and took it from him.

The seal was Silvercrest

My chest tightened the moment I saw it, but I did not let that show as I broke it open. The parchment felt familiar in my hands, and that alone was enough to remind me where it came from and what it represented.

Holmes had called for an emergency council review in my absence. The words were formal, structured in a way that made it sound like a necessary action, but the meaning behind it was clear. He accused me of abandoning my duties as Luna and violating pack law by leaving with another Alpha.

I lowered the parchment slowly.

“That was fast.“.

Conrad watched me without speaking.

“He didn’t waste time.” I continued. “He moved as soon as I was out of reach.”

“What does it change.” Conrad asked.

I looked at the message again, scanning the wording more carefully this time.

“It’s not just an accusation,”

I stepped back slightly, my thoughts were moving through the details.

“He’s not asking the council to question me,” I continued. “He’s asking them to judge me without me being there.”

“And that works in his favor,” Conrad said.

“Yes.” I replied. “Because I’m not there to respond.”

I folded the parchment in my hand, my grip tightening slightly.

“He’s not trying to bring me back.“.

“No,” Conrad agreed.

“He’s trying to remove me.”

There was a brief silence after that.

“Not physically.” I added. “Not yet.”

Conrad’s attention remained fixed on me. “Explain.”

1 exhaled slowly, organizing my thoughts before I spoke again.

“If he strips me of my position as Laina, everything I say after that becomes weaker.” “The council won’t see me as someone with authority. They’ll see me as someone who lost her place.”

“And your accusations against him lose weight.”

OOGT

13:03 Sat, May 30

Chapter 12

“Yes.”

MM

The pattern became clearer the more I spoke it out loud.

“He’s building a foundation.” I continued “So when I speak again, it won’t matter.”

Conrad stepped closer, stopping just within my space.

“And what do you intend to do,” he asked.

I looked at him, meeting his attention without hesitation.

“I respond.

“How”

“Not the way he expects.”

He did not interrupt. That alone told me he was listening, not directing.

“I don’t rush back.” I continued. “That would be what he wants. It would make it look like I’m reacting to his move.”

“And you don’t want that.”

“No.

I paced once across the corridor, then turned back.

“If I go back now, I walk into something he’s already prepared for. The council would already be leaning in his direction. I would spend more time defending myself than exposing him.”

“That gives him the advantage,” Conrad said.

“Yes.”

I stopped moving.

“So I don’t give him that.”

Silence settled between us again.

“And what do you give him instead,” he asked.

“Nothing.” I replied. “Not yet.”

He watched me closely.

“I let him push his claim” I continued. “Let the council move forward without me. Let them make decisions based on what he’s given them.”

“That risks your position.”

“It already is at risk”

I held his attention, not stepping back

“But if I return when he’s already moved too far.” I added. “It changes things.”

“How.”

30

70GT

13:03 Sat, May 30 # MM

Chapter 12

“He won’t be able to adjust quickly enough. He’s expecting me to react early. If I don’t, he has to keep building his case

“And that creates gaps”

“Yes”

Conrad nodded once, like he had already reached the same conclusion.

“You’re planning to let him expose himselt further,” he said.

“I’m planning to give him space to make mistakes.”

There was no reaction from him, but I knew he understood.

“That’s a risk.” he said.

“So is everything else.”

I unfolded the parchment again, reading the final lines once more.

“He made it sound like I ran, like I abandoned my duties without cause.”

“You didn’t.”

“I know that.” I replied. “But the council doesn’t.”

I lowered the parchment again.

“And right now, he’s shaping what they believe.”

Conrad stepped slightly closer.

“Then you shape what comes next,” he said.

I looked at him for a moment, then nodded once.

“That’s the plan.”

Before we could go further, another presence approached.

This time, the movement was faster.

A sentinel entered the corridor, his posture firm but his expression more serious than before. He stopped in front of Conrad and lowered his head slightly.

“Alpha King,” he said. “Another report has come in from Silvercrest.”

My attention shifted immediately.

“What is it” Conrad asked.

*The internal structure has changed,” the sentinel replied. “Security has increased around the twin heirs.”

My chest tightened slightly at that

“Who initiated it. Conrad asked.

There was a brief pause before the answer cane.

O

13:04 Sat, May 30

MM

Chapter 12

“Bethany”

The name settled heavily

I stepped forward without thinking “Say that again”

“Bethany has taken charge of internal movements within the pack, the sentinel repeated. “Access to certain areas has been restricted. Patrol routes have been reassigned.”

I felt something shift in my chest, but this time it was not the same awareness as before.

This was different

“Holmes approved this.“,

The sentinel hesitated. “There is no direct confirmation of that.”

I went still.

“No confirmation.” I repeated.

“Yes.”

I turned slightly. my thoughts moving faster now.

“That means she acted first.”.

Conrad did not respond immediately.

“She didn’t wait for him.” I continued. “She moved on her own.”

“And that changes things,” Conrad said.

“Yes,” I replied.

I looked at the parchment still in my hand, then back at the sentinel.

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