* * *

Remus' knuckles had turned white with rage, how could Alpha Julian manage to make things equal when they are not in fact close to being equal?

He had interrogated Sage to her wit's end, and now she was sitting in the chair beside his empty one with her head down. Even on the witness stand, he could see Andrew trying to consult her, but the damage was already done.

She had felt guilty for changing the tides. Even if Nicholas had given her a nod of approval before joining Remus close by the witness booth.

"Alpha Remus...On the note of your mate claiming that you have lied—Could you please tell the court what you've lied to your mate of all people in the room, about?"
"I wouldn't call it so much as lying as not telling her the whole truth, or keeping to promises. But I've never given her more than a white lie." A sharp sob had caused the room's attention to turn towards Kara, whose father was having a stern with her about keeping herself quiet.

But clearly, it wasn't working all that well.

"And what would a white lie entail?"
"I didn't tell her right away that the Packs of America didn't believe she was pregnant, since she was on maternity leave. Around that time there were plenty of them. Given the fact that I did not want to stress out my heavily pregnant mate who was carrying twins." Remus didn't think he was doing all that well in rectifying their near defeat, but every inch towards the truth was a better chance of proving safety.

"And your contact with the Snyders?"

"The last time I talked to them was individually after Sage and I discovered the chest with Aria Clark's body in it, along with the contract they conceived and signed with Bako."

"And what did this contract say?" Nicholas had come forward with an entire whiteboard at the ready with it written clearly for the audience.

"For those out of the room, could you please read off a few of the incidences?" Yudan's heavy voice had caused Sage's attention to peek up, and she was finally able to breathe easy knowing that her belief in Remus telling the truth.

And upon reading everything in the contract, to the faces of the Snyders turning white with fear. Julian was running out of options, and it only made things worse when a shout from the Snyder crowd abruptly stopped Nicholas' voice.

"Ms.Synder, please remain in your seat while the defendant and prosecutor are risen and speaking." Having her wrists bound made things difficult, but once the scent of blood had erupted into the room—Hayes stocked forward and pulled Kara's chair farther from her father.

"Try that shit again with your daughter, and we'll throw that charge in too." With that, Hayden turned to look at the crowd and pointed to the whiteboard.

"I have had enough...I have had enough of this blaming for deaths and for blaming for war. It's a scapegoat and lies, Sir Yudan, may I continue?" The demon chuckled, leaning forward to have his elbows connect to the wooden table before him—His chin planted in wait.

"It isn't in the nature of an elder Alpha wolf to sit down, I was wondering when you would crack. You may continue, Alpha Hayden."

"Your hono—" Julian tried, but Yudan hadn't hesitated to turn his attention.

"Silence, the scale might showcase the truth of what is being said. But I can see all, have you forgotten? Or were you going to tell Alpha Andrew that you were the one to tell Lucy to poison the kind young Luna?" The uproar had followed, but it didn't hold a temperament for what Sage had done.

In rising to her feet, her chair had flung back against the wall—The wood shattering on impact. Anyone coming near her had been pushed back and could no longer move a muscle. The Snyders had all scurried away as Sage plowed her way through, and even Remus' tender voice of understanding did sanction Julian any protection.

She had thrown him easily against the podium, just underneath where Yudan was sitting. "You tried to do what, Julian?" Her eyes were just an amass of black and white, the side of her temples crackling enticing a pater of erupting veins.

The scent of fear easily spread around the room, as well as the small stench of urine. But thankfully Alpha Hayes had managed to wrap his arms up and around Sage to pull her back.

"I believe that wraps up anything and everything about this so-called fucking court. Remus?" His father-in-law had decided, and the male had turned towards the group of Snyders and sighed.

"Since there's no point in continuing this—"

"That's not true! I'm innocent! M-my pups! We're innocent!" The female shouted. That being Patricia, who mated into the family and received the name.

"I didn't have any say in what they did or what they continued to do! The scale didn't lie, everyone here knew about the Luna being poisoned—That the Luna was alive after trying to travel to Mystic Grimm, they've had connections to the Underground and the Black Market for years!" The woman spat, and her mate roared at her betrayal.

"I will not die for your cause, Cole. They can bury you alive for all I care. You will not drag down these pups because you're listening to what a snobby elder told you to do, because she's dead! Right where you'll end up!" The scale, which had cracked down into the floor after Sage's outburst was now a growing conclusion.

"The scale has spoken, the glowing window will decide those outside the rooms vote...Please delegate now and the final verdict will be announced soon." Patricia was panting out loud, fiddling with her silver chains and standing beside Kara as though it would do any good, but those that sectioned themselves were doomed.

Among the silence, Sage turned back towards Julian and his scolding glare and she huffed in anger—Perhaps the potion had severed her chances of having another pup, it didn't cross her mind until now and this time it was Remus who stopped her.

"Calm down, calm...Deep breaths, just like Raven taught you." Sage tried to follow along with Remus' demonstration for her to follow, but seeing just how betrayed Andrew looked—For that had caused another sob to escape her as her knees gave out and Remus settled her on the floor.

Not only did Sage kill the wrong she-wolf, but one that was just following orders. Not to mention there is a long list of others within the room that were about to suffer the same fate.

But goddess, she was tired—And nothing of this trial had sparked any further leads, just a continuous circle of reminders. The damn headache had returned and with a newfound vengeance as she leaned further into Remus' touch.

It was the perfect combination of warmth and tingles from their tortured bond that it took away from the pain, but not entirely.

The room waited patiently as each wolf who submitted their verdict returned back to the screen—Only to see that the damage was done, that Sage had broken down further as her exhaustion could be seen from states away.

While their voices were muted, Sage could see that her brother and Jade were fighting back and forth.

Would it hurt if she just closed her eyes for a moment?
Remus' touch was so warm that it reminded her of last night when he'd swirl his finger in a therapeutic pattern, and here he was, doing it all over again.

"We have settled on a verdict, please rise—Alpha Remus, you may remain seated with your mate—In the case of Crescent Moon Versus the Snyder family—Those in America find them guilty." To Remus, it was wonderful news, but Sage could only see the blurry figures of Kara and Patrica who look as though they signed their soul away for a second time.

"...But it is I who decides the fate, the scale has agreed with the packs. However, there is a mixture of dedication and coercion. The children will be spared, and those mated and accounted innocent to a certain degree will be given a mark. One that holds the shame that they never came forward until now." Yudan had nodded to the given few that were paying the moon goddess for her forgiveness for their sins.

But it seemed counterproductive when they followed the teachings that this was her will and way—The mercy Yudan showed had caused Sage to smile, as she knew firsthand the voice Tina had amongst her family.

And would have now if she wasn't dead.

"The rest of you...I will be taking you back with me to where you belong. Settle whatever it is you need...By his highness' and the Moon Goddess' will, may this court session find an end, and hopefully, the past will remain in the past when all is settled." Yudan nodded his head down and dissipated from his chair the same way he had appeared.

And the moment he had, those found innocent had finally found their voice.

Among them, Sage heard the blaring voice of her father's roar as Remus and Andrew had leveled the better part of the room—And when she opened her eyes, she realized she was no longer in her mate's arms but Luke's.

"Sage?... Can you hear me?" Ellie whispered, and Sage nodded her head. Though it felt delayed, her limbs felt as heavy as can be.

"Alpha," Luke called out, and all three males had turned their gaze off to him after calling out vague title.
Andrew shook off his mistake and glared directly at Kevin, knowing that the very male that betrayed him would be off this earth within the coming night.

"I'm taking the Luna to your office, she overexerted herself." He didn't bother waiting for a reply, not when there was too much commotion—And among that, Jackson had forward and joined the Master of Arms couple.

"Well, that was a fucking shit show." The Delta huffed, clearly agitated that the well-prepared trial was left in the matter of rushed and unreleased speech from Alpha Hayden.

"Jackson!"

"Well damnit, Aurora, we've spent the entire week going over every possible fucking angle. Brought my dad into this stuff, knowing full well that those are the bastards that have done this to him. And for what? Just to make it seem better in the eyes of the rest of America?!" The Delta turned red in the face, and even when Aurora had tried to put her hands onto his body—Her touch trying to put him at ease, he didn't want it.

"No—Rory, I can't. This is—I can't." It wasn't the first breakdown of the day, not with how much the Woods family has suffered in the last decade.

Neither Luke nor Elenor could fathom the idea that they were under the same type of pressure, both their parents and siblings are alive and well. They wouldn't understand.

But there is someone who would, and he was the very person to settle the matter just minutes ago.

"You can. It's not over." Sage whispered out, and all eyes had fallen back to her. But her breath sounded hollow as she focused her attention back on the ceiling. "Not done yet." She reminded them, no, her mind wouldn't be able to rest until Mama Willow is found and Armond is dead.

This had left the two females to push out the males, hoping that Sage would take the temptation of closing her eyes. Even if it ends up being all of ten minutes of rest, it was clear that the Luna needed it.

With the commotion still raging off in the conference room, as if delegating would make much of a difference.
As far as Andrew is concerned, they were dead wolves walking.

By the end of the day, those found guilty would be joining Yudan in the Underworld. Though he allowed himself to dwell on the fact they were going towards the hell side of things.
It made his wolf rumble with pride.

But it still left his mother's death unanswered.

"Hey, you okay?" The voice sounded too kind to be put in his direction, so it had been left ignored. And he nearly jumped out of his skin when Calista put her hand on Andy's shoulder. "Goddess, fuck. Don't touch me." The female recoiled at the fact that he didn't take her offered comfort.

Though she didn't allow herself to fully crack, not when she turned to look at the door. "Sage just fell asleep, you can pick at her brain later." Now that caused Cal to frown.

"I don't pick on anyone's brain."

"Feels like it." Andrew was fishing for an argument as if they hadn't but heads in the last few days already. But she didn't take it too personally, not yet at least. Not when there was so much at stake, and she could feel the tension coming off the male in waves.

"Feelings aren't everlasting, not if you let them be."

"Can you shut the fuck up? Honestly, you're sounding like a broken record every time I run into you." Her eyebrows twitched, showcasing her irritation. And the former Alpha caught that instantly. "Look, I'm not some damn nut case, alright? I'm a lost cause. I'm just here to make sure that—"

"That Sage isn't pregnant?" She shot back, and that enraged him further.
"And what are you still doing here? The trial's over."

"Luna Sage asked if I wanted to stay."

"And?"

"I'm still wondering if I want to take her up on her offer." She said, her eyes flickering between his, and he knew damn well she was attempting to get a read on him. "Don't expect me to be grateful for helping us."

"You think I did this just for Sage? I've known Hayden for years, fresh out of my degree. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think about Willow, I'm surprised he's lucid enough to get through everything that he has." He scoffed, wondering how the Moon twins were ever taken away from Remus in the first place if Hayden was just as destructive when his mate 'died'.

"You want to be helpful? Should've been here when Remus' sanity was on the line."

"I won't apologize for not participating in something that I knew nothing about. I'm not a wolf, remember? I don't make it a habit to check on every supernatural kind. And besides, W is at the end of the alphabet if you didn't know. And I like going in order." He growled again, but Cal responded in her own octive, catching the attention of his wolf with ease.

Intriguing his inner beast, but it seemed to be a constant every time the she-bear walked into the same room as him.

"I am not the enemy, Andrew. And until you realize that, we can't be civil. If you want to talk, you know where I'll be...Not as a therapist." His nose flared, but Calista knew when enough was said and walked down the hall. Andy didn't realize how aggravating it is to hear that she-wolf—She-bear continuing to run her mouth, but it was the fact that she was a different type of shifter that his Alpha tone didn't work on her.

But his wolf felt interested, and it took him by surprise and utter confusion since Sage was struggling to get herself in check.

______

Date: 05/6/23 

Time: 10:18

Words: 2699

Author's Note:

So sorry that I missed yesterday's posting.
I barely managed to get through the work day, have dinner then proceed to pass out with absolutely no energy to edit. 

And of course today, it's over an hour late. Ugh! This is not my weekend!

ANYWHO! It looks like Hayes couldn't sit idly by anymore, which proved to work out in Crescent Moon's favor.

Those that are found guilty in the Snyder family are out of here!
The others, while receiving a sort of branded mark to showcase their failure to speak up.

Meaning that Kara will have this mark.

As small inside look into the next chapter and phase, it will feature Kara as she tries to make amends.
But it's only going to cause chaos.

Won't that be fun😁

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend,
and if you're interested I will be posting A Brave Human Mate in a little while as well!