Ava nearly fell over in shock. What was Elder Elvis saying?
She and Gabby had problems but she knew her sister would never do something like that.
Gabby had dedicated her life and essence of being to the pack and wanted to do everything for the pack. She would never do something that could cause potential harm to the pack much less lead to the loss of so much life. Not her sister.
Ava looked up at Adrian who looked equally shocked as the warriors bundled up Gabrielle and dragged her to the podium. Their mother cried out and tried to follow her only to be blocked by the warriors.
Gabrielle struggled with them as they pulled her forward.
“What is the meaning of this, Elder Elvis?”
Adrian levelled a glare at the man as he stood to his feet.
“Are you aware of who you have just falsely accused?”
Elder Elvis bowed decorously, his every movement entitled and assured.
“Alpha, I would never accuse a member of our pack falsely regardless of who they are or the position they hold. The entire Elder council stands firmly with me on this. We have evidence against the traitor.”
Traitor? Ava tried to stand up but ended up falling back on her chair, her injury flaring up with pain drawing Adrian’s attention. He moved back towards her almost instinctively to check if she was alright.
“My sister is no traitor.” Ava bit out.
Elder Elvis ignored her words as Gabrielle reached the front of the podium. The murmuring crowd quietened down.
“Gabrielle Black, do you have any confessions to make to the pack before the charges are levelled against you?”
Gabrielle looked him in the eye.
“None. I am innocent. I would never do something like that.”
Elder Elvis harrumphed as though he could care less. Ava would not allow him to do this to her sister. She caught sight of Ivy watching the proceedings a little too smugly.
Could this be Ivy’s way of getting back at her for the crushing humiliation at the safe house? Surely she couldn’t be so petty?
Ava felt Adrian grab her hand in assurance. Elder Elvis couldn’t just manufacture charges against Gabrielle. He had to bring substantial evidence as well.
“The Elder Council calls on Jarvis, a pack warrior who assisted with this investigation.”
Jarvis stepped up, he was a huge wolf with a closely shaven head and a hard face, and he towered over Elder Elvis by almost two heads.
“Jarvis, can you tell the pack your findings?”
Jarvis looked at the pack members watching with bated breath before speaking gruffly.
“Following the attack, I was asked by the council to investigate the suspicious activities of the rogues and the possible information leak. There were calls that went out from the pack to a suspicious number on the day of the attack.”
“The signals were tracked to a spot just off pack grounds to a shed where the rogues did reconnaissance before their attack. Their base of sorts. The calls to this place were found to have been sent from the Alpha’s office.”
The whole pack was divided in chaos.
Ava looked up at Adrian in askance. What was going on? Was Elder Elvis trying to go after Gabby and Adrian in one fell swoop?
“Are you trying to accuse our Alpha of colluding with the rogues?”
It was Nelson talking from the front rows, his voice carrying across the crowd, his hand firm around Jenny’s.
Jarvis was immovable.
“It was where the calls were made from and that is all.”
“Jarvis, what time were these calls made?” Elder Elvis asked, obviously knowing the answer but wanting to drag it out for their benefit.
The big man seemed to think about it for a second.
“By evening, around 4:30 to 4:45 pm on the day of the attack as the phone records I submitted to the council states.”
Elder Elvis nodded dismissively. “You may leave, Jarvis.”
He looked towards the riled-up crowd and continued. “I wish to summon Alex Black as the next witness.”
Ava inhaled sharply. Was he going to use Alex as a witness as well? What exactly was Elder Elvis playing at?
Alex stepped forward leaving Zinora standing at the front lines next to Jenny. He looked even more surprised than Ava.
“Alex Black, as the Beta of this pack has Gabrielle Black ever given you cause to doubt her fealty to the pack?”
“Never.”
Alex didn’t hesitate and Ava felt a bit guilty thinking of the Shawn incident as she knew he had only lied because of his promise to her.
The smug look remained on Elder Elvis’s face.
“The evening of the attack, did you see Gabrielle Black in the Alpha’s office unsupervised?”
Alex paused, a myriad of expressions playing out on his face.
“Yes, but…”
“What was she doing in the office unsupervised?”
“She wanted to–” Alex trailed off mid sentence and looked away to stare at Gabrielle.
Ava’s head and vision spun. Gabrielle had been in Adrian’s office on the day of the attack? Whatever for?
“Beta, are you hesitant because you are lying to the pack to cover up for your sister?”
“No.” The word was almost a growl, Alex’s eyes glinted as he struggled with his baser instincts.
“Enough,” Adrian said, moving next to Alex.
“He is the Beta of this pack. Show some respect, Elder.”
Elder Elvis looked more than rankled at being termed ‘old’ but simply smiled and bowed once more.
“Of course, Alpha. But the Beta must give us a straight answer. What was Gabrielle doing unsupervised in your office?”
“She wished to gain an audience with the Luna of this pack. Due to her previous and current close ties to the Alpha, she made a mistake in thinking she could still stay in the office unsupervised. It doesn’t mean she is a traitor.” Alex’s voice was stable again but the damage was already done.
Then murmurs from the crowd grew.
“Fine, we believe you.” It was quite obvious that he didn’t. “What time did this occur? It wouldn’t happen to have been around 4:30 pm, would it?”
Alex paused, confirming the man’s words with his silence. Elder Elvis smiled a dark smile as the trap closed around Gabrielle.
“The Council calls on the final witness for a testimony on character from an unbiased member of the pack. Ivy, come forward.”
Ivy moved gracefully, no signs of the beating she had received that had made her unable to join the defence of their pack.
“You can’t question your own daughter. It is a conflict of interest.”
This time when Ava spoke, everyone could hear her.
“Of course not. That is why Elder Cayenne will question her.” Elder Elvis said smoothly like he had expected the question.
Elder Cayenne stood up from his chair and moved slowly to reach Ivy.
“Ivy, what is your assessment of Gabrielle?”
“Elder, I must admit that I have a confession to make. I apologise in advance for having kept this to myself and I am ready to bear the full consequences of my actions.” Ivy lowered her head in a false show of humility.
Ava would have laughed if the situation had not been so dire. The girl didn’t have a humble bone in her body.
The entire trial felt scripted. Ava looked at Elder Elvis. He had made it clear from the get-go that he didn’t like her. He always undermined her opinions at the meetings they held. Always doing his best to make her seem new and untried.
His daughter had done the exact same thing that day at the safe house. Ava recalled that Ivy had been one of the top picks for consort. Was it possible that instead of her as a person, they had problems with her being the Luna of the pack because they wanted Ivy in that position?
That would explain this faux of a trial. They wanted to begin to remove her people one after the other. They had also cast suspicion on Alex during the questioning to show the pack members he was inept.
The only question now was, how much had they lied? Because Alex had said it himself. Gabrielle had gone to Adrian’s office and stayed there alone during the time of the calls. If anyone had made the calls then she would have seen who did. Except she was the one who made the call.
Everyone knew that Jenny returned that day so there was no need for her to have been there at that time waiting for Ava.
Ava refused to suspect her sister but it was getting hard to ignore the facts.
What confession could Ivy possibly have to give regarding Gabby?
“After my discovery, I hid the truth because I felt Gabrielle Black was a devout pack member who had made just one mistake and didn’t deserve to suffer so much for one bad decision. But today hearing all the testimonies today has made me realise that she is an unrepentant criminal who will never change.”
Ivy paused for effect pretending to draw a breath before pointing at Gabrielle.
“Our Luna was falsely accused of cheating on her mate because of her. She drugged our Luna and orchestrated the entire event so she could fulfill her dreams of becoming the Luna of this pack.”
Ava froze. How did she find out? Out of the corner of her eye, Ava saw Gabby stiffen and pale in shock and dread.
“I have proof of it as well. This is the receipt of the drug purchase.”
There was no way they could get Gabrielle out of this situation now short of Ava admitting that she had cheated on Adrian with her full consciousness and right mind frame.
Ava couldn’t do it. Not even for Gabby.
“The council has decided that Gabrielle Black will be executed for her many crimes against the pack at large and our Luna.”
Their mother collapsed.