The Prince’s Unwilling mate

182 Ayla

“I Nathaniel Puche, member of the Council of Elders, and judge during this trial have come to a conclusion. Hannah Oaken, there is no doubt in regard to the heinous crimes you committed. While I have no doubt you solely wanted to target Her Royal Highness Princess Ayla Hemming. Any wolf, especially one coming from an old and high- ranking bloodline such as yourself. Should be aware of the major consequences would have not just on the Princess who has been innocent. But to her mate, the rest of her family, and even the involved packs. You aided in crimes that could be and are considered an act of war. To both the White Oak and the Silver Moon pack. Committing an act of war against the latter is seen as treason.” The elder paused taking a deep breath.

I don’t know if he was a little short of breath because of his speech or if he just paused for a dramatic effect. The Elder’s of the council are normally not one for theatrics but who knows? Maybe Elder Nathaniel is the odd one out. The one that loved Showmanship. And if he did, and if this was a silence just for show it had its desired effect. He had made it clear that Hannah was found guilty of all the crimes she was indicted for. Now everyone in the meeting room was waiting with batted breath, what the verdict was going to be.

When I requested Hannah would become a rogue some pack members had protested out loud, screaming that she deserved a harsher punishment. Hannah on the other hand had pleaded that forcing her to become a rogue meant we would take away her pup’s future. Pleading to be allowed as a Silver Moon pack member. A se rvant, with no rights just work to earn a roof above her head, and being allowed to eat pack meals. As long as we would not treat her pup any differently. The Council had mentioned how she had committed treason. An offense punishable by death. So there was no telling what they would decide.

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182 Ayia

“Princess Ayla you have suggested a punishment, and I have to compliment you on the fairness of the requested punishment. The Council of Elders has decided to judge in your favor. Hannah Oak former rankless of the BloodMoon Pack, I hereby declare you rogue. You have exactly two hours to pack all your belongings, by the last things you might need. At five pm exactly royal guards will escort you off the premises so you can live out the rest of your days as a rogue with your unborn pup. Keep in mind that this still means you need to uphold the country’s laws and regulations. Such as not contacting former Alpha David Birch and alerting the authorities if he contacts you.” The second Elder Nathaniel stopped talking Hannah stepped away from her desk and ran to me, falling to her knees in front of me.

In a second Griffin, Dillion, Colin, Daniel, and the guards were surrounding us ready to shift and pounce. Even if all Hannah did was hold my ankle crying asking me to please spare her. To request a different punishment and not ruin her pup’s life over the mistakes made by their parents. I could barely over the growling of the others and Elder Richard asking for someone to take Hannah away and help her get her last bearings.

Everyone had reacted to the judgment and the punishment following. All but Cynthia who had hardly moved a muscle for the entirety of the trial. So the fact that now she was the one to get up to help Hannah was a little unnerving. I had to convince myself that I was paranoid. That she just didn’t hate Hannah as much as all the others did. Because she did not want to accept me as her Princess let alone her future Luna and Queen. There was nothing she could do anymore, it was not like Hannah would be the Silver Moon background,

The two hours Hannah had before she was escorted off the pack ground had flown by. Milo being kind as ever had made us a cake to celebrate Hannah getting what she had coming to her. A celebration to end a period of worry and stress and a lot of extra work and Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

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152 Ayla

precautions. I smiled, joked, and laughed along with the rest of them. I helped Rodrick and Griffin, alerting the other packs. As did Isabella. Nobody not even Griffin seemed to be aware of the turmoil in my mind. Not even now that we walked in front of Hannah and the four guards that were escorting her. The only thing I did comment on was the fact that having not just one or two but four guards escorting her off the pack territory seemed a bit excessive.

But when Rodrick had explained that even if the chance was extremely small, this could be an excuse for David to come and visit her. To take her home to wherever home was for him now. And that the four guards were a simple precaution to ensure everyone’s safety. I had just nodded and agreed with them.

Telling them what was on my mind, that I had second doubts about this punishment wouldn’t benefit anyone. The rational part of my brain knew that Hannah made her own bed and should lie in it. The rational part of my brain understood that Hannah has always been and forever will be a threat to me and everyone that I love. It even understood that to so many of my friends and family seeing her would just be a trigger. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it wouldn’t be a trigger to me either. It was just the last words she said to me when she clung to the seems of my pants legs.

“Please, Ayla you can hate me I get that, but what if it was your pup? Would you not do anything to give it the best life you can offer it?” I don’t even know if she somehow knew I had been in heat and might very well be pregnant now.

And it didn’t matter because she was right, I would do everything I could to give my pup the best life I could. I wanted to explain to her that if she had not been pregnant I would have requested for her to be executed. How I had been kind to her and her unborn child. Like she had been kind to me while I was kidnapped. Just giving her the bare minimum so she could survive. But where she did things like that

because sometimes my basic needs aligned with her plans for herself. I made this decision purely out of the goodness of my heart. Or that was what I told myself. Now her last desperate plea had my head spinning. Unsure if I had been selfish, making myself believe what I came up with was the kindest thing I could do for her and her child. Or if I had just been too much of a coward to make a real decision. To either disregard her child completely. Or let her get away with it all because she was pregnant.

Maybe if it wasn’t for everyone being so proud of me I would have talked about what was on my mind. Now I felt I had to come to terms with this on my own. And not bother the others with it.