Gasps turned to outrage. Snarls rumbled in the throats of warriors. Mothers pulled their children closer, disgust flashing in their eyes. Even allies from neighboring packs whispered furiously, their respect for Aldrake crumbling before everyone's eyes.
Amber's face is drained of color. "T-That's not—! It's not like that!" she stammered, her voice shaking. "I—He—We—"
But Aldrake silenced her with a glare, jaw tight, eyes blazing with a fury that barely masked his fear. "This is irrelevant," he growled. "You have no proof—"
"Enough," Elder Caelum cut him off, his voice suddenly thunderous. "You have been judged by more than proof. The Moon herself has borne witness to your betrayal — and now, so has your pack."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Aldrake stood frozen, chest heaving, pride crumbling beneath the weight of a truth he could no longer bury.
