EPISODE 18:
The weight of the crowd’s gaze bore down on me, heavy and suffocating. Every pair of eyes seemed to strip me bare, Inspecting me with scrutiny that felt as though they could see every hidden corner of my soul.!
They whispered amongst themselves, voices rising in volume as the tension in the air thickened. Being reborn sounded absurd, but even in my gut, I knew that it didn’t make it any less true.
Some of the older spectators, those whose faces were lined with years and experience, exchanged glances
“I had heard stories of rebirths granted to those the Moon Goddess had taken pity on or favored,” one said.
“Really? Being reborn is true?”
“Yes, but those were in the past when there were no united alliances between the packs.”
“Then, it could be true that she is indeed reborn?”
They watched me, some with quiet curiosity, others with unspoken judgment
T
My heart raced as the silence stretched. I could feel the prickling tension in the air as they waited, breath held, for the revelation that would either confirm or shatter Seram’s accusations. I had no idea what I was supposed to do now. The crowd was hanging on my every move, and there was no escape from their collective gaze.
THE
Then, the scruffy warrior stepped forward. Syrus moved immediately, positioning himself between the warrior and me, his body a shield to protect me from whatever might come next.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Syrus’s voice was low, but there was an edge to it, a warning.
The warrior frowned, crossing his arms. “I’m here to see if she has the mark, of course.”
“You believe in his nonsense?” Syrus questioned. “Shouldn’t you need to determine first if he is telling the truth or not?”
“Why are you blocking him?” Seram interjected. ‘Is it because what I’m saying is true?“!
“I don’t want anyone of my pack to be taken just because of random accusations Maybe you’re doing this to implicate someone,” Syrus reasoned out
“What he said is true. ”
Someone from the crown walked out. It was an old man, with white hair and fully white eyes. He is known as Elder Yan, the oldest wolf in the world. Everything he says was true since he was considered as one of those who had met the Moon Goddess once
“The Moon Goddess always has eyes,” Elder Yan said. “And being reborn is one of her wonders.”
Nobody refuted his words, not even Syrus. The warrior then went forward but Syrus blocked him again.
Syrus’s jaw tightened. “You have no right to touch her ”
The warrior’s lips curled into a dismissive scowl.
“I do if you want to clear her name. The procedure must be followed. If you want to take her away from this, if you want the Moon Shard Pack to remain in good standing, then you’ll let me do this.”
A flicker of uncertainty passed over Syrus’s face. As much as he hated the idea of what was about to happen, I could see the wariness in his eyes. He didn’t want me to suffer, but the political implications of defying this procedure were too great to Ignore!
The Moon Shard Pack was revered by many, but it was still made up of humans, and being cast out from the alliances with the other packs could cost them dearly.
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Syrus’s gaze on me, feeling the hesitation in the air. I didn’t want to put him in a position where he had to choose between me and the survival of his pack. I wanted him to remain strong, not weakened by the weight of this situation.
I nodded.
“Til allow it,” I said quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’ll let him see my
back.”
Syrus looked as though the air had been knocked out of his lungs. His eyes darkened with the sharp edge of helplessness, but he clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the anger that threatened to spill over
I was sure that Seram was behind Deanne’s death. But proving it? That would take time… Time that we didn’t have.X If they blamed me for this, at least Syrus could take Caleb and keep him safe. I would take the punishment, even if it meant returning to the pack under Seram’s rule. It was a price I was willing to pay to ensure the safety of those I cared for
Syrus clenched his hands, his expression tortured, but he stepped forward. The warrior scowled but didn’t object. With a curt nod, Syrus moved to remove my shirt, his hands trembling slightly as he reached for the fabric. The crowd grew eenly silent as they waited, eyes fixed on me.
I could feel the heat of Syrus’s hands against my skin as he whispered a soft “Sorry.”
His voice was shaking as he slowly pulled my shirt up and off, revealing my back to the gaze of everyone present. His fingers brushed against my skin, and I could feel his unease, the way his hand lingered with tenderness despite the cold atmosphere.
The warrior and the rest of the crowd watched intently, some with expressions of anticipation, others with skepticism Seram stood at the edge of the group, his arms where Lucas seemed to get tired, crying and napping on his shoulder, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.X
He watched me as though he already knew the truth, that I had been reborn.
This was the deal he had with Leon. It was also through this deal that he found out that Deanne had contracted Leon to kill Marian five years ago. In anger, he orchestrated Deanne’s death and would blame it on me. Of course, he chose the same
treatment Deanne had done to me.X
Seram wanted Deanne to feel what it was like to be torn apart.
Seram looked at the sleeping child in his arms. Seram did not care about this useless child and it would be the price he would exchange to Leon, Caleb, for him, was enough. That child was the one he had been imagining to have.
But then, as Syrus slowly revealed my back to the crowd, everyone saw something that they never expected.”
