Sylvia’s POV

The tribunal chamber was imposing. Alphas, Betas, and representatives from neighboring packs filled the room, their presence a stark reminder of just how significant this case had become.

Selene and I took our seats in the front row. Though neither of us spoke, I could feel her tension radiating beside me. Her wolf was restless, confused by the conflicting loyalties tearing at her.

When Hugo was led in, I felt Charna’s fury rise within me. He looked disheveled but still managed to project arrogance, his chin lifted as though he were the wronged party. Our eyes locked briefly before he smirked and looked away. That smirk sent cold rage through my veins.

"All rise for the Elder Council," announced the bailiff.

Five distinguished wolves entered from a side chamber, each wearing the ceremonial silver mantle that signified their position as arbiters of Lycan law. At their center walked Elder Thornwood, a silver-haired Alpha whose reputation for fairness was known throughout all territories.

"Be seated," he commanded, his voice carrying effortlessly through the chamber. "We convene today to hear serious allegations against Hugo Gray, heir to the Gray Territory. The charges include imprisonment of an Omega without consent and physical assault with intent to mate-bond against will."

Murmurs rippled through the audience.

"Before we proceed," Elder Thornwood continued, "I must inform all present that mate-bond violation cases are treated with the utmost severity under our laws. The bond is sacred, inviolate. To force or coerce is to corrupt the most fundamental aspect of our nature."

I glanced at Rosalie, who sat with her advocate, her shoulders hunched as if trying to make herself invisible. My heart ached for her.

"The prosecution may begin," Elder Thornwood announced.

What followed was a meticulous presentation of evidence: medical reports documenting Rosalie’s injuries, security footage showing Hugo forcibly taking her from a public venue, witness statements from those who heard her screams from his private quarters. With each piece of evidence presented, the room grew heavier with collective disgust.

When Rosalie took the stand, her voice was small but steady as she recounted her ordeal.

"He told me I could be his practice Luna," she said, tears streaming down her face. "That I should be grateful a wolf of his status would even look at me."

Beside me, Selene flinched.

"Did he mention who you resembled?" asked the prosecutor.

Rosalie’s eyes flickered briefly to me. "He said I reminded him of Sylvia Frost. That I was a poor substitute, but I’d do until he could..." She swallowed hard. "Until he could ’put her in her place.’"

The courtroom erupted in shocked whispers. I felt dozens of eyes turn toward me, but I kept my gaze locked on Rosalie, willing her to feel my support.

When it was Hugo’s turn to speak, his strategy became immediately clear.

"This is a conspiracy," he declared, his voice dripping with wounded dignity. "These women have coordinated their attack on my character out of jealousy and ambition."

"Explain yourself," Elder Thornwood demanded, his expression skeptical.

Hugo straightened, playing to the audience. "Rosalie has been obsessed with me for months, constantly throwing herself at me despite my engagement to Selene Frost. When I rejected her final advance, she fabricated this story."

"And how do you explain the evidence of physical assault?" asked one of the female Elders.

Hugo had the audacity to smirk. "Rough play between consenting adults. The Omega enjoys it."

Rosalie made a choked sound of distress.

"As for the Frost sisters," Hugo continued, his voice hardening, "they’ve been competing for my attention since our families first discussed a potential alliance. Sylvia has made numerous inappropriate advances despite knowing I was promised to her sister."

"That’s a lie!" I couldn’t help but exclaim, rising to my feet.

"Order," Elder Thornwood commanded, though his eyes reflected doubt toward Hugo’s claims.

"I have evidence," Hugo insisted. He gestured to his advocate, who presented the council with a folder. "These are communications between myself and both Frost women, as well as the Omega. All three maintained... intimate relations with me. This isn’t about assault. It’s about a jealousy-fueled vendetta when they discovered each other."

My blood ran cold. What communications could he possibly have? I had barely exchanged ten words with him outside of formal pack functions.

The Elders examined the documents, their expressions unreadable.

"These appear to be text messages of an explicit nature," Elder Thornwood noted. "From all three women."

I felt sick. Beside me, Selene had gone rigid with shock.

"May I approach?" I requested, my voice remarkably steady despite the hurricane raging inside me.

After receiving permission, I walked forward and examined the so-called evidence. What I saw made my wolf howl with indignation. The texts were clearly fabricated—poorly edited screenshots where someone had superimposed our names over messages that had clearly been exchanged with someone else entirely.

"This is pathetic," I said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "These are obvious forgeries. The font of the names doesn’t even match the rest of the text interface." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"How dare you question—" Hugo began, but I cut him off.

"I have my actual phone records here," I said, presenting a document to the Elders that my assistant had prepared. "A complete log of all communications between Hugo Gray and myself for the past year. As you’ll see, they consist entirely of formal messages regarding pack business. Nothing personal, and certainly nothing inappropriate."

The Elders compared the authentic records with Hugo’s fabrications. The discrepancies were immediate and damning.

"Furthermore," I added, "I’d like to point out that Hugo has made a critical error in his forgeries. The phone number he’s attributed to me in these fake messages isn’t mine, and never has been."

Elder Thornwood’s expression darkened. "Mr. Gray, falsifying evidence before this council is itself a serious offense."

Hugo’s confident façade began to crack. "You’re taking their word over mine? I’m an Alpha heir!"

"I’ve listened to enough. The Gray heir’s behavior dishonors all wolves, regardless of rank." Came a powerful female voice from the back of the room. All heads turned to see Luna Smith of the Eastern Territories rise from her seat.

One by one, other pack leaders and representatives stood, voicing their disgust with Hugo’s actions and his attempt to smear three women’s reputations to save himself.

Sensing his defense crumbling, Hugo changed tactics. "Rosalie is nobody—just an Omega from the outskirts! Why is her word being taken over mine? And the Frost sisters have always been jealous of each other—everyone knows they’d say anything to sabotage one another!"

That’s when Selene did something that shocked me to my core. She walked directly to Rosalie, took her hand, and helped her to stand.

"I believe Rosalie," Selene announced, her voice ringing clear throughout the chamber. "I was blinded by what I thought was love, but I see clearly now. Hugo Gray is a predator who targeted this woman specifically because she resembles my sister—a sister he knew he could never have."

She turned to face me then, her eyes sincere for perhaps the first time in our complicated relationship. "And contrary to what Hugo believes, Frost women protect each other. We stand together against those who would harm us—or anyone under our protection."

I moved to stand beside them, creating a united front that sent a clear message to everyone watching. "Rosalie is under Frost protection now," I declared. "Anyone who threatens her answers to our entire pack."

The energy in the room shifted dramatically. Hugo’s supporters, already few, fell silent as the tide of opinion turned decisively against him.