TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 77

CHAPTER 49: GALE’S OSCAR-WORTHY LIES

EMBER’S POV

Knox pivots, because Knox always pivots.

His voice is controlled but I can hear the edge underneath, the barely restrained fury at being cornered

“The recording is from day one. It doesn’t reflect where we are now. Arrangements change. Feelings develop. What started as practical-”

“How convenient,” Elder James cuts in, his voice dripping with contempt. “You claim genuine feelings only

after being caught lying about the sacred fated bond. Only after your deception has been exposed for the

entire Summit to witness. Forgive me, Lycan King, if the council finds this counter-response somewhat…

suspicious.”

The trap has snapped shut.

Knox realizes it at the same moment I do-there’s no defense that doesn’t sound like another lie.

Every word he says now will be filtered through the knowledge that he’s already deceived this council

about something sacred.

Our credibility is gone.

And without credibility, I’m going back to Gale.

“The question before this council,” Gale’s lawyer announces, rising to address the elders with the practiced

confidence of someone who knows she’s already won, “is not whether Ember Aragon suffered abuse. The

question is whether she’s a calculating manipulator who seduced a powerful alpha, fabricated stories to

justify her adultery, and is now desperately telling whatever lies she thinks might save her from facing

consequences.”

She gestures toward the screen with theatrical precision.

“We have documented proof that Ember Aragon entered into a transactional arrangemprit with the Lycan King. We have her own voice admitting to ‘playing the part’ of his girlfriend. We have her accepting money and protection in exchange for sexual access. And now she claims she was abused so severely that it

justified breaking her sacred mate bond? The timeline doesn’t fit. The evidence doesn’t exist. What we have is a woman who calculated every move, manipulated everyone around her, and is now desperately hoping this council will believe her tearful performance over documented facts”

I want to stand. I want to scream that she’s lying. I want to fight back with every weapon I have

But I don’t have any weapons left. I have my word, and my word has just been proven worthless.

“The council calls Alpha Gale Crawford to testify,” Elder James announces.

Gale approaches the stand with the confident grace of a man who’s been preparing for this moment his

The series has the witness char the he owns it and when te hoks at me his expression is aimi sympathetic Aloo bas

It’s a performance Everything about him has always been a performance But he’s so good at in 1 almost believe him myself

1 mamed Ember many many years ago, he begins, his voice modulated to hit exactly the right regret and confusion I want a perfect mariage be the first to admit that. But I took my wow seriously I was committed to making it work. To being patient with her challenges

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“So let ine ask you directly, Knox continues “Were you faithful to Ember during your marriage? Yes or no.”

The Chamber goes quiet. Gale’s eyes cut to Logan for just a second-a tell so brief that most people would

miss it. But Knox sees. tee.

“I was as faithful as any alpha in a difficult marriage,” Gale says carefully.

“That’s not a yes or no answer.” Knox’s voice sharpens. “Were you faithful? Did you keep your vows? Did you honor the sacred bond you’re accusing Ember of violating?”

Gale’s jaw tightens. He knows the trap is closing but he can’t figure out how to escape it.

“I had occasional indiscretions that weren’t-”

“Occasional indiscretions.” Knox produces a tablet from Nathaniel, who appears at his shoulder with the efficiency of someone who’s been waiting for exactly this moment. “I have witness testimony confirming that you’ve been in long-term sexual relationships with Logan Reeves and at least three other men throughout your entire marriage to Ember. Not occasional indiscretions. Regular, ongoing affairs with the same partners. Affairs that predate your marriage and continued through every single day of it. So, I ask again, Gale Crawford, were you faithful to Ember during your marriage?”

The gallery erupts.

Gale’s pack members are on their feet. One of them-his second-looks genuinely shocked.

Gale stands abruptly, fury and panic warring across his face in a way I’ve seen a thousand times before, usually right before something got thrown at my head.

“My sexuality has nothing to do with-” he starts.

“Your hypocrisy has everything to do with this case.” Knox’s voice cuts with the brutal precision of a blade. “You stand in front of this council playing the grieving husband while you’ve been fucking other men for your entire marriage. You claim Ember betrayed your sacred bond while you never honored it for a single day. You accuse her of being manipulative and calculating while you’ve been lying to her-to everyone- about who you really are.”

The gallery is chaos.