The Moonlit Path

Chapter 35: Look on Me with Favor

The cool wind whips around my legs as Titus and I take our seats on a raised platform constructed in the middle of the training field. Everyone from our pack stands before us in a wide circle, watching intently. I look to Titus only to find his green eyes examining my face with a worried curiosity. He reaches his hand out and I grasp it with my own. 

"Are you ready?" He asks so quietly even I can barely hear him. I give only the slightest nod of my head as I straighten my back, square my shoulders, and take a deep breath.

"Bring them forward," I command loudly. The crowd falls silent as twelve warriors escort only two prisoners into the middle of the circle. "Philious, you are charged today with kidnapping, torture, and attempted marking." Phil meets my eyes with a sick sort of pride behind them. I see his eyes flash toward my legs, exposing the thin line of silver from my mid-thigh down under my dress. He doesn't even try to hide his satisfaction. Titus is already growling lowly beside me. I squeeze his hand running my thumb over his knuckles to remind him why we are here. 

"Mathais, you are charged today with kidnapping, traitorous acts against your Alpha, and aiding in criminal acts against your Luna," I continue. Mathias does not look up from the ground; instead he keeps his neck bent entirely in submission to me. This, I know, is not enough to save him. I take a moment to pray to the Goddess that he has heard me. 

"The penalty for these crimes, should you be found guilty, is death. We will hear your pleas now."

Titus and I sit and look to the two men in front of us. Wolf law says we must offer the an opportunity to plead their case, to tell us why they did what they did. As Luna and Alpha we have to be fair and listen to what they have to say and take it into consideration when dolling out punishments. And once this is done, we can decide their fate. 

"Liana," Phil's deceivingly smooth voice begins. "I have been your friend for many years and we were once engaged to be married. We shared so many good times together among our packs and in private. When you found your mate and refused to follow through on our wedding, I was devastated. I only acted on what I thought my life was meant to be. I was delirious with emotion and it lead me to make bad choices. I wanted only power for my pack, my family, and the love of my life," he dares to wink at me in the presence of both our mates. I can see Mathias flinch at his words. "I would ask that you look on me with favor." 

His words are as cunning as he is but I can see in his eyes that he is proud of what he is done. Now he is only scared of losing his life when he has already lost everything else. I cross my arms over my chest and nod as Titus's growls grow more apparent by the moment.

"I hear you and take this into consideration," I state in customary fashion.

"I hear you and take this into consideration," Titus manages to get out in an even and official voice. 

Mathais remains silent a moment, taking deep breaths before he lifts his dark eyes and looks directly at his cousin and then directly at me. My sharpness softens at his act as I remember the last summer night Mathias and I were back home. He sat on my balcony with two pieces of slightly smooshed cake he had smuggled from the birthday party of one of my schoolmates. Some boys from Phil's territory had been invited and I was forbidden from attending. He told me all about how the birthday girl got drunk and kept proclaiming any male that came near her was her mate. We laughed together in the hot July night and stared out over the world in front of us. The thought lingered in my mind: if he says nothing; I am going to miss him when he's gone. 

"Luna Liana, Alpha Titus," he begins quietly, shyly almost. "I have made too many mistakes to ask forgiveness for all of them. When I was drawn into this plan, I believed that it was to make my mate happy. I believed if I helped him capture Liana and if she would," he hiccupped, "if she would bear him his heir, then we could mend the rejected bond between us and become one. But, as I look upon the two of you, I see that Philious and I would never have been able to have what you do. He would never have chosen me, protected me, looked for me, or killed for me as you have for each other. There is no love in our bond."

There is a deathly silence among the crowd. Titus leans forward resting his elbows on his knees with interest. "Which is why," Mathias struggle to his feet and turns to Philious. "I accept your rejection Philious. I, Mathais Kingsly, reject you as my mate. May the Moon Goddess and all her children here today bear witness to our severed bond." 

People in the audience are covering their mouths, gasping and whispering among themselves quietly. I can see the pain scorching across Mathias's face and body as he falls back onto his knees with his head bent once more. "I would not ask you to look on me with favor, but with understanding," he concludes through gritted teeth. 

Phil is clearly starting to feel the pain himself as he sways slightly on his feet in an attempt to maintain his balance. The blood has rushed from his face and he looks like he is going to be sick right there. But his pride wins out, as it always does, and his smug look does not disappear from view. 

"I hear you and take this into consideration," I state firmly.

"I hear you and take this into consideration," Titus follows watching the two men in front of him before turning to me.

We have to deliberate via mindlink so the others can't hear us. 

What do you think? I start.

I think Philious should have been an actor instead of an asshole. He dies.

I am not one to dole out death as though I were the Goddess herself. I vote to turn him rouge, his pack has already disowned him and named a new Alpha line. He will become more wolf than man. And he is already suffering a fate worse than death. Even I can see the tearing of the soul in his eyes. 

Liana, Titus warns. We agreed.

Titus, he will die with or without us. We have nothing to prove in the way of power. We have nothing to gain from this and we have nothing to lose by letting him go. 

Mathias?

You know what I think about Mathias.

I'm inclined to agree. He can come home, but there has to be punishment. 

After a few minutes deliberating back and forth between us, we stand to announce the outcome of the trial. Titus speaks first. 

"Philious, my mate and queen would have us turn you rouge and live your life in the shadows. However, I cannot live with the thought of you returning to threaten my pack, my land, or my mate, let alone anyone else's. You are sentenced to die." Phil's eyes widen in realization and he allows his knees to buckle under him as he finally kneels before me. 

"Mathias, my mate would have you answer for the worst of your crimes. But I see in you humility and hopefulness. You did not just follow orders and you did not just do what was expected of you; you saved my life in those dungeons. And I shall return the favor. I hereby strip you of your Gamma ranking and sentence you to 2 years community service among the warriors of tomorrow." I refrain from grinning at the idea of Mathias teaching children to fight. Instead I force myself to meet his eyes with a tightness in my polite smile. "Welcome home Mathias."

The warriors on his side help Mathias to stand and bring him to the edge of the circle where Lux and Alyx are waiting to take him. They each sling an arm over their shoulders to carry the burden of his weight. I can hear him whining as the mate bond dissolves between him and Philious. I am going to help him with that to. 

Titus and I step down to the ground where Philious is kneeling, surrounded now by all twelve guards. One produces a long sword from his side and turns the blade to Titus. Instead of reaching out and taking the handle, Titus grips the wrapped blade and turns the handle to me. 

"It has to be the Alpha," Phil grunts out from the ground.

"She is just as much the Alpha as I am. And she's earned this." Titus offers me the handle again and I pick it up, feeling the challenging weight in my hand. My mate wraps his arms around me and places his hands around mine to help me support the sword. "We are equals in all good and bad choices and actions. We do it together." 

Titus helps to lift the sword with me just above my shoulders as one guard secures Phil's hands. We drop the sword together and both of us tense as we hear Mathias howling.