The chaos became uncontrollable. Everyone present at the High Court was in a state of panic, while some were in shock, unable to believe Mireya’s accusations against Garth. In their eyes, Garth was a Beta who would undoubtedly sacrifice his life for Usher. No one questioned Garth’s loyalty.
Instead, many began to point fingers at Mireya. They accused her of tarnishing Garth’s dignity with baseless slander. Their reasoning echoed Garth’s earlier statement: Usher woke up right after Garth administered the medicine.
The commotion grew louder. Usher closed his eyes and held his head. He took a deep breath before bellowing in a thunderous voice, “Silence!
Everyone immediately fell silent. Not a word was spoken as the Alpha gave the command. The atmosphere became solemn, only Usher’s heavy breathing could be heard.
Usher swallowed his pride to suppress the weariness that washed over him. He clenched his fists, then raised his face, his gaze fixed directly on Garth. “It seems you didn’t just ignore my words, Garth. Based on the surveillance footage, it’s clear that you’ve been secretly defying me. Why? Have you stopped seeing me as your Alpha?”
Garth was taken aback, barely able to breathe. “Alpha, please, believe me. I admit that I visited Vione in prison, but that does not mean that I disobeyed your orders. On the contrary, I only went to check on her, something I should do because she was once your Luna, Alpha.”
Garth’s voice trailed off as he finished the last sentence. He hung his head low. The solemn silence that enveloped the High Court was tinged with melancholy. Some eyes were teary, perhaps remembering the tragic fate that had befallen Vione and her family. Then a question arose in their minds: will Garth suffer a similar fate?
On the other hand, Usher’s expression hardened. His demeanor became grim. “So, you value Vione more than me, Garth?”
“Not at all, Alpha,” Garth replied quickly. He shook his head once. “I will always respect you above all, Alpha.”
“Your actions indicate otherwise, Garth. You and Ayla,” Usher said, glancing at Ayla, who stood pale. “You no longer consider me your Alpha! You have betrayed my trust. I’m very disappointed in both of you.”
Garth and Ayla were both taken aback. The Alpha’s anger cornered them, but his disappointment wounded them.
A feeling of bitterness engulfed Garth and he swallowed it whole. He tried to speak even though his tongue felt heavy. “Alpha, forgive me. I am guilty, but I never intended to betray your trust.”
“You know very well, Garth. You are the most reliable of all, but what have you done to me?”
Usher slammed the table beside his throne. The sound echoed like a bolt of lightning, shattering the table to pieces. Fury consumed him as he rose from his seat, his eyes burning.
Usher’s face turned crimson with rage. Sweat dripped from his forehead and began to trickle down his jaw. Heat radiated from his body, making everyone around him feel scorched.
Everyone stood still, too afraid to move when an Alpha showed his anger. Hearts pounded with anxiety and fear engulfed them all.
Garth was immobilized. He watched as Usher approached him with firm, threatening steps. “Alpha, I…”
“I cannot forgive your actions, Garth.”
This time Garth was truly speechless. Not only was his tongue tied, but his entire body instantly weakened.
“You must be held accountable for your actions, Garth. You must be punished. And you too, Ayla!”
Usher’s decision shocked them all. Their expressions revealed their objections, but none dared to speak. All remained silent, their mouths tightly shut. Only their eyes looked at Mireya, who smiled subtly.
Mireya watched the events with a heart full of joy. Everything was going exactly as she had hoped. Usher, back in control, was acting according to her plan. Now all she had to do was wait for the final execution, and then Garth would be eliminated, leaving no one to disturb her.
“Alpha!”
A voice broke the silence. All eyes turned to where Jemma was emerging from the crowd. They parted slightly to make room for her.
Usher was momentarily stunned by Jemma’s presence. It seemed that he hadn’t expected Jemma to be present at the High Court at all.
Mireya felt the same. Her face suddenly changed. She realized that Jemma was a stumbling block not to be underestimated.
“Mama.”
Jemma stepped forward gracefully, undaunted. She faced Usher with unwavering determination. “Isn’t it reckless to punish Garth without solid evidence? Even if the visit to Vione and Ayla was a mistake, is that reason enough to disregard all of Garth’s past devotion?”
Usher felt uneasy. There was a strange sensation that disturbed his heartbeat. But he tried to regain control before speaking. “Garth’s fatal mistake was to disobey my orders. That is a grave offense that a Beta should never commit against his Alpha.”
“Garth did it for a reason, Alpha,” Jemma insisted. She glanced between Garth and Ayla for a moment before returning her gaze to Usher. “Garth visited Ayla to find a way to cure you, Alpha. Also, you should know that for the pack, a Luna is always a Luna. Even if the title is taken from her, it doesn’t make people forget.”
For a moment, Usher didn’t react to Jemma’s words. His brow furrowed, and at that moment he felt as if Jemma’s words were spinning around in his head. He took a deep breath to calm the unfamiliar turmoil that filled his chest.
“Trust them, Alpha. They are doing this for your own good. They would never hurt you.”
Jemma’s soft words conveyed firmness. Doubt began to show in Usher’s tired eyes, a fact that Mireya was fully aware of. Just as she had feared, Jemma always had a way of undermining her influence over Usher.
Mireya didn’t want to take any chances. She immediately stood up with confidence. In her hand she held an ace of spades that would surely put Garth in a corner. “The problem now is that Garth has not only betrayed Alpha Usher’s trust by secretly meeting with Vione and Ayla, but it’s more than that.”
Jemma turned to Mireya. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it’s not just the mistake Garth made. He made another, more fatal mistake,” Mireya replied with a meaningful smile at Jemma. She raised her hand and pointed at Garth. “All this time he has been working with the man.” She looked around. “You all know who I’m talking about. The man who had an affair with Vione. The man who conspired with the Munest family to stage a coup. Today I will prove to all of you that Beta Garth is not as loyal to Alpha Usher as you think.”
After finishing her speech, Mireya ordered the display of several photos she had prepared. The photos showed Garth having a serious conversation with a man wearing a hoodie and a mask-the Man.
Garth’s eyes widened in shock. All the defenses he had prepared were meaningless in the face of Mireya’s cunning. Emotions flared in his eyes as Mireya smiled triumphantly.
Chaos erupted. Rumors that had died down resurfaced, accompanied by new worries.
“Is there anything else you’re not telling me, Garth?”
Garth was speechless, his heart sinking in shock. He had never imagined that Mireya had set such a perfect trap. “Alpha, I swear. The man and I are not working together as Mireya claims.”
“Alpha!” Mireya interjected again. “One thing I must say is that the location of Garth’s meeting with the man was not far from Ayla’s house. In other words, the three of them were indeed secretly planning something sinister against you.”
Garth growled. “You are slandering me!”
“Do you still want to defend yourself with this undeniable evidence, Garth?” Mireya replied arrogantly. She even dared to address Usher before continuing, “Alpha, Beta Garth’s mistakes are truly unforgivable. So, I implore you, Alpha. Uphold justice in this High Court so that no one will doubt your authority.”
*