Chapter 93

Vivian

I got back to my holding cell in time for the guards to come to collect me. The court case was the first step. I’d be up on the stand soon enough and I wasn't going to hold back. I'd cry every tear, tell every lie, and tear him to shreds before he could get up on the stand. After all, we weren't really here to rehash his failure to get Renee out of the way, we were here about me putting Renee in her place.

I caught sight of myself in a surface and set my jaw. The idiot maid from my mother's pack would never hear the end of it. I should’ve worn something darker.

The white suddenly felt like it was waiting for a target to be painted across my chest. I sat stiffly at the witness table, my blood boiling in my veins. My hands were folded tightly in my lap, knuckles bloodless. I hadn’t looked at Tyler since the proceedings started again after recess.

Where was he anyway?

The rest of the room filed in but I didn't see Tyler still. His parents came, his father pointedly didn't look at me as he sat beside his wife and daughter. He never did.

I wondered if that would be going to far. Probably. I'd have to hold that bit in case things went sideways.

Soon, the courtroom had a hush to it. Not silent, just waiting. Across the room, Arielle Mountainhowl sat flanked by her battery of attorneys like a queen surveying her enemies. Renee sat beside her, looking more at peace than she deserved. Neil had come back and was sitting behind the Mountainhowl section, no longer a witness.

Daddy say with his lawyers, a tight line drawn across his mouth like he wasn’t sure whether to look at me or not.

But he did, I put on my most innocent face and wasn't sure what it meant when he let his gaze drift away from me.

"The defense will call Ms. Brightclaw to the stand."

I was taken to the box and waited.

“Ms. Brightclaw,” the Panelist said, leaning forward with narrowed eyes. “We'll need clarity about your involvement with Ms. C-- Ms. Mountainclaw's incidents at work. You are allowed to respond to any and all evidence that's been presented here."

“I…" I started softly, voice shaking just enough to seem sincere. “Tyler… he’s very manipulative. I thought I was helping a friend, but I realize now I was just part of his plan. I didn't realize I was being used to. All of this, he did it for Maya. His girlfriend. I didn’t know about her until earlier when they were talking in the hallway."

A collective shift moved through the room like wind through tall grass. Tyler's father went still, his eyes growing hard, and Tyler still wasn't here. Where the fuck was he?

I looked down, eyelashes lowered in my best imitation of remorse. “I know I should have spoken up sooner, but… I was scared. And I didn’t want to believe he was using me. We've… we've known each other for such a long time…”

"We'll need to bring with… Maya in to be questioned."

"No need, Panelists," Arielle said coolly. "She's already agreed to give testimony. She's here and will remain as anonymous as possible under Charter 3 paragraph 4."

The Panelists shuffled their papers, clearing their throats, but it was Alpha Blackfang you spoke.

"Please forgive the lead judge, it's been quite the complicated case. Recorder, redact her name for the record, she will be known on record henceforth as TM."

I had no idea what that was about, but the recorder nodded and typed a bit.

"I don't think we need to hear from Ms. Brightclaw and further--"

"Plaintiff calls for cross as it seems the defense has no intention to examine."

They looker nervous.

"Esquire Mountainhowl," Alpha Blackfang began. "The floor is yours unless the panel has any legal reason to object."

"She just said that Tyler was the mastermind. Are we really going to have her explain further?"

"Yes," Alpha Blackfang said. "Given the evidence I've seen. And as she's been called as a witness by her own counsel, and opened this particular course of questioning, Esquire Mountainhowl has every right to cross." He turned to Arielle. "Will you --"

A knock sounded at the door and it opened. Tyler came in, escorted by a guard to the witness box.

"Pardon the interruption, Panel, but I’m Esquire Jayden Mountainhowl, and the plaintiff needs a moment's conferment."

I blinked as the woman walked past Arielle to offer a parcel to the bailiff. Tyler was slumped in his chair, he looked tired, exhausted, but his eyes were open, alert.

What the hell was he playing at?

"You have a minute," Alpha Blacckfang said, receiving the paperwork and reading it.

Daddy frowned watching Jayden go to Arielle. They leaned close, I could tell Renee was trying to listen, but they activated some sort of barrier around them. Arielle's face didn't even ripple as they spoke. She nodded once and dispelled the barrier before gesturing to her seat.

My heart picked up. No. No. No. Jayden took a seat and smiled at Renee, patting her hand and leaning close. Renee frowned and shook her head. Arielle rounded the table.

"Thank you for your patience, Panel," she said, coolly. “May I proceed?"

"Esquire Mountainhowl, you have the floor."

She turned her gaze on me, cold and vicious.

"I realize my reputation, so I will ask you first, do you still maintain your statement? That you were unaware of the scope of his actions and uninvolved with the planning of Tyler's actions?”

"Of course."

"Then, you wouldn't mind going under truth spell and restating it?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm a Brightclaw," I said, lifting my chin. "We don't lie."

She hummed. "Interesting response." She pulled up a bag and approached. "Do you what can you tell me about this photo?"

I looked down at the photo she placed. It was me and Tyler entering a store together time stamped just a few days before the Confirmation Ceremony.

"We… It's me and Tyler, probably shopping for some last minute thing for the ceremony, or a gift."

"Per the receipt, Tyler purchased four pairs of women's panties, and unless he has a fetish, per TM and Ms. Mountainhowl, they weren't for either of them…" She narrowed her eyes. "They weren't even in their sizes… But they do however match your size and measurements."

"They weren't for me."

She pulled out more documents. "Given the timelines, and the records that go back before he was involved with Ms. Mountainhowl or TM, what explanation can you give?"

I swallowed.

"One that isn't a lie, preferably."

"Objection. Esquire Mountainhowl--"

"The standard of truth in this case is a truth spell, given that Alpha Brightclaw gave deposition under truth spell to Mountainhowl, it is Mountainhowl's right to assume anyone who will not testify under oath is lying: Pack Protection Right 39, subparagraph 4."

The Panelist shut his mouth.

"You have the option to step down, Ms. Brightclaw," Arielle said sweetly.

"I will."

She nodded and I got down. "The plaintiff calls Mr. Blake to the stand. The younger."

My eyes bulged. "Wait--"

"I submit to truth spell," Tyler said, glaring at me in passing. His eyes looked haunted still as he went up to take the seat.

The bailiff nudged me back to my seat. I set my jaw.

"Mr. Blake, what can you tell me about your place in Brightclaw, specifically your relationship with Ms. Brightclaw?"

He dropped his gaze and took a deep breath.

"At first, we were…friendly, I guess, but I realized pretty soon that I was… convenient," he said. “She coerced me into sleeping with her long before her vendetta against Renee."

"You--"

"We all knew that Dominic was wrapped around her spoiled finger and wouldn't believe half of the things she did where he couldn't see them."

"That's a lie!" I screamed.

Tyler glared at me, his eyes filled with bright white light.

“She's the reason I went after Renee. Coerced me. Coached me. Said it would be worth my while because Renee was heir to a lot of money, and she knew that I wasn't going to inherit anything. I can't say whether or not she could have actually gotten me fired and exiled from the pack, but she intimated it enough." His voice cracked into something bitter. “She'd orchestrated exiles before."

My stomach twisted as one of the lawyers on my side finally started to say something, maybe it was his father. I just sat there in shock.

“Order,” one of the Panelists barked, slamming gavels to get things under control.

Renee leaned in toward Jayden, whispering something, and the woman nodded. Renee smiled like the whole thing had turned into entertainment. That fucking bitch was going to pay for this.

The Panelists exchanged looks, murmuring.

“We will adjorn for the day, we'll need to investigate further into TM and of course that will take time---"

"Wait,” Daddy said, rising. “That isn’t procedure. We can proceed with the other testimonies. There’s no reason to delay—”

“We’re not delaying. We’re pausing for the integrity of the process.” Another gavel slam. "Adjorned."