Chapter 49
Elara’s Pov
The crowd hushed, and all eyes turned to the stage. Cola, Ruwan, Orik, and a young mah stepped through the throngs of people, cutting a path toward the center.
As the figure in the middle came closer, I felt my stomach churn. I didn’t have to guess knew exactly who it was
Owen. The Diaz’s middle son
His presence hit me like a slap across the face. Towering, solid muscle, with a bushy mustache and a glare that could freeze blood. He looked like a man who would throw the first punch just for the fun of it—and, back in the day, he had,
I had been his favourite target.
The memories hit me like an avalanche. Those dark days of my childhood when Owen had made it his mission to make my life a living hell, He wasn’t just cruel–he was sadistic. He would best me, punch me just because. The others would stand around, cheering him on, clapping when he landed a good
“Come on, Elara, take it like a grown–up!” Owen would sneer, every blow landing like a hammer to the chest.
And I had to take it. Every single time.
But today… today he was different. His arogant smile was gone, replaced by a hardened look. He wasn’t the boy I knew, but the same anger, the same fire, simmered just below the surface.
“Mom! Dad! My brothers!”
The shrill scream cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. It was Miela Crawling forward, her hands clutching at Corla’s skirt. Her voice cracked with desperation.
“I miss you so much, Mom! You don’t know what they did to me! The cell, the rats, the damp
was horrible
I watched Corla stroke her hair, soothing her like she was still the baby of the family. “it’s okay now, you’re safe”
But Miela wasn’t so easily calmed
“I don’t ever want to go back there. Please, Mam, please.” Her voice was a frantic whisper. “Just pay that filthy rat Prisca, whatever she wants, and we can
make this all go away”
I wanted to scream at her. How could she still think money was the answer? But Drik, ever the voice of reason, interrupted.
“We tried, Miela. Prisca won’t take anything. She wants justice.”
“Bullshit!” Miela’s voice was a venomous hiss. “Justice? All that woman cares about is money. Double the payment, triple it Write her a blank check if
you have tol
Owen snorted loudly, his gaze fixed on Miela, and I felt the weight of his words hit me harder than anything.
“And where do you think that money is coming from? Our savings?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “You don’t bring anying to this family, Miela. All you do is spend. Clothes, nails, hair. You had a chance to be Luna, and you threw it away, You’re useless.”
The room seemed to close in on me as I watched Miela’s face twist in fury. Her lips curled into a snarl, and she shot back,
“Because I’m your sister! By blood! You can leave me to rot like this
Her voice cracked, and I felt the full weight of her desperation. “And you, Owen, what have you done for this family, huh? What good are you? You
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couldn’t even make it into the army
A tense silenceler the crowd as the tention thickened. Ower’s fists clenched, and i saw the glint of rage flash in his eyes.
Say that again, Miela,” he grodded, stepping forward, his entire body radiating anger.
Before things could escalate further, the elder’s voice boomed from the stand, cutting through the chaos.
“Has the defendant’s family come to a decision?” His voice was commanding, and the crowd fell into silence, waiting for the answer.
Corla, her voice soft yet firm, stepped forward, wiping her eyes as she spoke,
“Yes. We’ve reached an understanding”
The elder nodded, and with an air of finality, he rose from his seat, looking down at the crowd.
“The defendant, Miela Diaz, is charged with defamation, Regal harassment, threats, detention, and abuse. By Crestone Pack law, she will be expeffert, her claws severed, and her forehead tattooed. Are there any objections?”
The crowd erupted in applause, cheering and shouting approval “She deserves it someone yelled, and I could feel the venomous energy ripple through the air.
Miela’s eyes darted toward her parents, but there was no hope there. No rescue.
She was their golden child. Pretty, charming, and clever. She had it all–until it all unraveled.
And now, with nothing left, she turned to her parents. “Mom! Dad! You can’t let them do this! You’re my parents! You’re supposed to save mel
Corla didn’t flinch. Her voice was cold, almost as if she were reading a script.
“We’ve failed, Micla. We raised you to be better than this, but somewhere along the way, you lost your way. You’ve become a monster, And we can
protect you anymore.
Ruvan, standing beside her, added, “We did our best, but this is what’s best for the family now.” His words felt rehearsed, almost as if he were trying to convince himself.
Miela’s face contorted in disbelief. “No! You’re lying! You taught me how to let you encouraged everything I did! You were right there with
Her voice cracked, and I saw her true despair. The weight of betrayal crushed her.
Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, the entire square was silent.
Ork and Owen moved quickly, trying to silence her, Orik bent down, his voice low and cold as he whispered,
“Don’t fight it, Miela. Mom and Dad have made their decision. This is what’s best.”
Owen smirked. “Yeah. All that money you thought would save you? Mom and Dad planned to bribe the Gamma and get me into the army.”
The words cut through the air like daggers, and I could see Miela’s fury building again. She struggled, thrashing against her brothers, bir skinned with the effort. Tears streamed down her face.
She was broken. Betrayed by her own blood. And yet, she still couldn’t understand that they had already written hero
Two guards n
rushed forward, their hands clamping over her mouth, silencing her screams..
Thorne rose slowly, his voice cold as he surveyed the scene.
“if there are no objections…
Chapter 49
He let the words hang in the air, his eyes flicking to each face in the crowd.
…I hereby sentence Cora Diaz to a permanent sentence of
A voice cut through the tension like a blade.
The entire crowd turned, eyes shifting toward the person who dared interrupt the proceedings
And in that moment, everything shifted.
