Chapter 93

93 I Plead Guilty

“No,” Lucien said right away.

Dane Silverback, the two elders, and Kinnon Youngshaper all directed their eyes at Lucien, who for the first time in the course of the hearing strongly spoke for something.

Elder Rick forced himself to smile as he put a hand on Lucien’s shoulder.

“Lucien, don’t be too quick to say no. I know that Landon is a part of yourself, but he left once. You were doing so well without him. With his awful temper, are you not better off without him?”

Lucien gave Elder Rick a sharp glare instead.

“Landon and I are inseparable. I am responsible for Landon’s every mistake. It was my weakness that allowed Landon to lose his temper and attack Kinnon.”

Even Elder Jonas started to feel sorry for Lucien when the latter insisted to be punished the same way.

“Mr. Clearwater, please rethink your decision. If you are willing to sacrifice your wolf, further discussion with the Night Prowler Pack will be a lot smoother.”

Elder Jonas turned to look at Kinnon.

.....

“What does Alpha Kinnon think about it?”

Kinnon solemnly said, “I am willing to forget and forgive the past incidents if Lucien is still willing to be my Luna.”

If Lucien was still willing.

The problem was that Landon was not willing and to be honest Lucien was not ready. While Lucien might get over Ronan one day, Landon would never do. Unless Lucien agreed to part with Landon, he could say goodbye to marrying Kinnon.

Lucien insisted to stick with Landon no matter what. He owed it to his wolf who he had driven through rounds of sufferings and pain in the past.

The man shook his head in regret.

“I am sorry, Kinnon,” he said. “I have to break my promise to you. I can no longer serve as your Luna.”

Pain was seen flashing within Kinnon’s eyes.

Of course, he thought bitterly. Someone like Lucien would never choose to kill Landon just so he could be with Kinnon. In the first place, Lucien did not agree to Kinnon’s proposal out of love. It was to save his pack. Lucien’s heart had been stolen by Ronan years ago and it was not coming back.

Kinnon knew it every time he saw Lucien and Ronan together. No matter what scowling faces or what harsh words were exchanged between the two werewolves, Kinnon could see the love between them.

He hated it.

He wanted to destroy their love.

“You already agreed to my proposal,” Kinnon reminded.

“Yes, now I have to take it back.”

Kinnon clawed into the edges of the table.

“Do you know what it means?” Dane Silverback asked, watching Lucien over his steepled hands.

Lucien nodded.

“I know.”

Kinnon almost lost it.

“And are you prepared for whatever comes next?”

“I am.”

The elders sucked in deep breaths.

This was it.

The hearing was to be concluded soon.

“And are you not going to regret it?” Dane Silverback offered Lucien a way out one last time.

Before Lucien answered, he had Elder Rick grabbing his shoulder.

“Lucien, please,” he begged. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Please take your time to think.”

Lucien gave him a sad look.

Time to think?

Think about what?

About whether he would want to sacrifice Landon instead?

Why would Lucien need even a second longer to reject that offer?

“I am sorry, Elder Rick,” Lucien was more than determined. “I will not go back on my decision. Not this time. I am willing to share the blame and take responsibility for Landon. It is my duty as his human.”

The two elders heaved heavy sighs. Lucien, the stubborn fool, they thought.

“Alright then,” Dane Silverback said. He took a quill, dipped it in an ink case, and started to write on the parchment in front of him.

“Lucien Clearwater pleads guilty on the charge of a third-degree murder attempt on Alpha Kinnon Youngshaper from the Night Prowler Pack. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Lucien confirmed.

“In that case please add your thumbprint down here.”

Dane Silverback pushed an ink pad toward Lucien.

Lucien pressed his right thumb into the ink pad.

It was then that Landon spoke up.

‘Wait. Lucien, don’t do this.’

‘Don’t worry, Landon. We will go through it together.’

‘I don’t want us to do that. I don’t want you to suffer because of my action.’

Lucien pressed his thumb into the parchment.

‘...’

‘Lucien, you...’

Lucien calmly wiped the ink off his thumb with a napkin.

‘I already said it many times, Landon. We are teammates. I will never leave you behind.’

“Alpha Kinnon, please add your signature here.”

“The two elders, please add your signatures here.”

And lastly, Dane Silverback as the presiding judge signed the document and stamped it with the Werewolf Council’s official seal.

“We shall proceed with the trial, then.”

Landon howled in Lucien’s head. He was not one to openly express his emotions, but the howl carried a myriad of feelings. Pain, fear, and regret.

Two attendants came into the room upon Dane Silverback’s summon. They brought hand shackles that they put around Lucien’s wrist.

One by one, the other four people left for Crescent Hall. Kinnon and Lucien were the last two to leave.

When Kinnon was about to leave, Lucien called out to him.

“Kinnon.”

Kinnon turned around to look at Lucien.

“I am deeply sorry,” Lucien said.

He did not mean for any of these to happen. He had truly wanted to fulfill his promise. On the other side, he would never be able to live with himself if he had to sacrifice Landon on the way.

Kinnon gave him a curt nod.

“I know.”

The wait until Lucien too was led to the Crescent Hall was agonizing. It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

After emerging from the small room and entering the huge Crescent Hall, Lucien had to lift his arms to shield his eyes from the bright light.

He was not sure which one stung his eyes more. The light within the hall or the judgmental looks that the Alphas and Betas showered him with.