Moonlight Betrayal-Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Kaeleen’s POV

As Astrid and I made our way towards the Reception Hall, I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending conflict. The air crackled with tension, a silent prelude to the storm that was about to break. I knew Leon wouldn’t come alone, and I was prepared for whatever tactics he might employ.

The Reception Hall was one of the most impressive spaces in the mansion, a sprawling room designed for entertaining important guests and hosting formal events. Sunlight streamed through the massive arched windows, illuminating the intricate details of the ornate ceiling and the polished marble floor. It was a space that commanded respect, a space where I held all the power.

As we entered, the scene that greeted us was exactly as I had anticipated. Leon was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, his face a mask of fury. Just as our intel had indicated, he had arrived with a sizable entourage, a group of individuals who held significant sway in the werewolf community. These were the Elders, the self-appointed guardians of tradition and the arbiters of justice in the American werewolf world. They oversaw pack disputes, enforced ancient laws, and generally made life difficult for anyone who dared to challenge the status quo.

I smirked inwardly. Leon was predictable, relying on the authority of these antiquated figures to bully Astrid back into his control. He was dressed in a tailored black suit, as were the other men in the room, their attire a clear attempt to project an image of power and respectability. Leon’s blonde hair was slicked back, his blue eyes blazing with barely contained rage.

I cleared my throat, the sound cutting through the tense silence. Leon whirled around, his face contorted with anger.

"Took you long enough," he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "Is this how you welcome your visitors, Kaeleen? No wonder your pack is still a backwater."

I simply stared at him, refusing to rise to his bait. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me lose my composure.

"Eliza," I said calmly, addressing the woman who served as my head of household. She was a middle-aged woman with a no-nonsense attitude and an uncanny ability to anticipate my needs. "Please bring refreshments for our... unwanted guests." I made sure to emphasize the word "unwanted," letting my disdain for their presence be known.

Astrid took a seat beside me, her presence a source of strength and resolve. I subtly squeezed her hand, offering her silent reassurance.

An older man with a stern face and a silver-tipped walking stick stepped forward, his eyes narrowed with disapproval. I recognized him as Elder Thorne, a particularly influential member of the council.

"Kaeleen," he said, his voice gravelly with age, "this disrespect is uncalled for. We are not unwanted guests. We are here on official business."

"Relax, Thorne," I replied, my voice deceptively calm. "You are unwanted guests because you failed to inform me of your arrival and chose to make a scene outside my home. However, I am being gracious enough to invite you in, so I suggest you show some gratitude."

Leon’s face flushed crimson, his fists clenching at his sides. "You’re feeling all high and mighty just because you’re on your own turf," he spat. "When you were in the Moonshade pack, you were nothing but a lackey."

I smirked, ignoring Leon’s childish insults. I turned my attention back to Thorne. "So, to what do I owe this... visit?" I asked, carefully choosing my words.

Leon was clearly annoyed that I was ignoring him. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Thorne silenced him with a sharp glare.

"Sit down, Leon," Thorne commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Leon bristled, but he reluctantly obeyed, sinking into a chair with a sullen expression.

"Now that we have a more peaceful atmosphere," I said, my gaze sweeping over the assembled Elders, "perhaps you can explain the purpose of your visit."

Thorne cleared his throat, his eyes locking with mine. "We have received information that you have taken something that belongs to Leon," he stated, his voice heavy with accusation. "This is a violation of pack law. No Alpha has the right to poach from another without explicit permission."

"And what exactly do you mean by ’something’ that belongs to Leon?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Leon scoffed, his eyes darting towards Astrid. "She’s sitting right there," he said, his voice thick with possessiveness. "Astrid belongs to me."

Astrid’s eyes flashed with anger, but she remained composed. She relaxed in her seat, her voice ringing with cool defiance. "I belong to no one, Leon. I never belonged to you."

Leon’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Don’t lie," he snarled, his voice laced with vulgarity. "I was fucking you not long ago. Now you have the nerve to say you don’t belong to me?"

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Alex growled low in his throat, his eyes fixed on Leon with murderous intent. The guards, who had been discreetly positioned around the room, tensed, their hands instinctively moving towards their weapons. Leon seemed shocked to realize that we weren’t alone, that he had walked into a carefully orchestrated trap.

Astrid stood her ground, her chin held high. Her voice remained calm, but there was a steely edge to it that sent a shiver down my spine. "I may have been in your bed, Leon, although that was a long time ago but that doesn’t mean I belonged to you. You treated me like property, like an object to be used and discarded. I am not yours, and I never will be."

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances. They clearly hadn’t expected Astrid to speak out against Leon, let alone to accuse him of mistreatment.

Thorne cleared his throat, attempting to regain control of the situation. "Kaeleen," he said, his voice strained, "what you have done is still wrong. You cannot simply take another Alpha’s mate. It is against the law."

I burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the room. Astrid joined in, her laughter ringing with scorn. Even the guards couldn’t suppress their amusement, their faces breaking into grins.

The Elders looked bewildered, clearly confused by our reaction.

"Mate?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Astrid is not Leon’s mate. He already has a Luna, someone with whom he has completed the mating ritual."

Leon’s face contorted with rage. "Before Clara came along, there was Astrid," he insisted, his voice rising in desperation. "She has always been mine. It doesn’t matter what she says. She has always been mine."

"And even if she wasn’t his mate," Thorne interjected, his voice regaining its authority, "Astrid was a member of the Moonshade pack. She left without Leon’s permission. According to the constitution, he has the right to take her back."

My patience was wearing thin. I was growing tired of their antiquated laws and their blatant attempts to protect Leon.

Astrid spoke up. "There are conditions that allow a pack member to leave without the Alpha’s permission," she stated, her voice clear and unwavering. "I was abused by Leon. I was neglected, disrespected, and treated like I was nothing. He almost raped me at some point, and he locked me in a cage, forcing me to witness his infidelities."

The Elders shifted uncomfortably in their seats. They clearly weren’t prepared for such a direct and damning accusation.

Another Elder, a man with a thin face and a condescending smile, spoke up. "Do you have any evidence to support these claims, Astrid?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. "You look perfectly healthy and well-rested. We see no signs of abuse."

Leon seized the opportunity, a triumphant smirk spreading across his face. "She has no evidence," he declared. "She’s a liar. She has always been a liar. She has a mental illness. She’s not of sound mind."

Astrid turned to Leon, her eyes narrowed with fury. "I am perfectly capable of sound reasoning," she retorted. "There is nothing wrong with my mind."

She turned back to the Elders, her voice filled with conviction. "I may not have physical evidence, but everything I have said is true. I was abused, I was mistreated, and I was denied my basic rights. I left because I feared for my life."

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances. They were clearly torn between their loyalty to Leon and the gravity of Astrid’s accusations.

"If you were truly being abused," Thorne said, his voice laced with doubt, "you should have reported it to the Council. We would have investigated and taken appropriate action."

I knew what was coming. These men weren’t interested in justice. They were interested in protecting their own, in maintaining the power structure that had allowed them to thrive for centuries. They were misogynistic and corrupt, and they didn’t care about Astrid’s suffering.

I decided to speak up. "There is also another part of the constitution that states that if this person is mated to another person who is not a member of the pack, she has the right to leave the pack with or without the Alpha’s consent because they are mates and it is something designed by the Moon Goddess."

Leon scoffed, "Astrid is nobody’s mate except mine."

Astrid laughed, "Sometimes people end up with two mates. It’s rare, but it does happen."

I turned to the elders for confirmation. It was hard for them to agree but they did. freewebnσvel.cѳm

"Astrid isn’t going anywhere because she is mated to another." I said.

Leon was confused. "What do you mean?"

I smirked and said proudly, "Astrid is my Luna and the Luna of the Emerald Glade Pack. She is my mate."