Chapter 94

94 The Judgment Of The Collective Community

There were almost a hundred werewolves inside the Crescent Hall — thirty-five Werewolf Council members to represent each pack and thirty Alphas and thirty Betas who came to represent their packs, not counting Kinnon Youngshaper and Bjorn, the plaintiffs. The other packs were either destroyed or on the brink of destruction. Such as the Silent Walkers Pack for example.

Lucien was led to the middle of the hall. There was a chair with chains at the armrests and on the ground. The man with red golden hair breathed out a sigh of relief when the attendants did not chain him up and just asked him to take a seat.

It was degrading enough to sit there with shackled hands.

Lucien looked up and saw the many people in the hall who craned their necks to take a better look at him. They were seated in circular rows that were gradually elevated from the front to the back side of the hall.

Lucien could barely make out Ronan’s face in the middle of the crowd, but they all could see him. Almost a hundred pairs of eyes were directed at Lucien, judging him amidst faint murmurs.

The murmurs stopped abruptly when Dane Silverback took his stand next to Lucien.

He read from the parchment to brief everyone about what happened between the Silent Walker Pack and the Night Prowler Pack.

This was an official announcement, as opposed to the circulating rumors in the werewolf community. Some of them knew about the matter from trustable sources while others heard the exaggerated version.

“Lucien Clearwater had already pleaded guilty for the attack on Alpha Kinnon Youngshaper from the Night Prowler Pack,” Dane Silverback announced in the end.

.....

The hall broke in an uproar. A confession toward a murder attempt on an Alpha was a serious offense!

Lucien Clearwater was done for, and so was the Silent Walkers Pack!

“SILENCE!” Dane Silverback roared, slamming a hand against the podium table. Everyone stopped talking all at once.

“We are here to decide the right punishment for the Silent Walkers Pack,” Dane Silverback continued.

Lucien widened his eyes upon hearing Dane Silverback’s words. “Wait, Mr. Silverback,” he quickly interrupted the elder man. “Please do not drag the Silent Walkers Pack into this matter. I am solely responsible for the attack on Alpha Kinnon.”

Dane Silverback narrowed his eyes at Lucien. “Unfortunately, it is not up to you to decide in this fashion. Did you not accept the proposal made by Kinnon Youngshaper in the name of the Silent Walkers Pack?”

“Yes, but...”

“Then your failure in committing to the proposal will naturally reflect on the whole Silent Walkers Pack,” Dane Silverback informed him. “There is no other way.”

It was worse than what Lucien had expected. He was ready to die with Landon should the council demand that, but he never thought that he would implicate his whole pack! His mother, his father, his sister! Everyone in the Silent Walkers Pack!

Lucien curled his fingers into fists. It was no longer about his life. It was about the survival of his whole pack. He must fight until the bitterest end.

Dane Silverback walked off the podium with languid steps and addressed everyone inside the hall.

“According to the council regulation, a pack who commits atrocities against another pack shall be dealt with by using one of two methods. The first one would be the Judgment by the Moon Goddess. The second one would be the Judgment by the Collective Community.”

Dane Silverback turned on his heel to face Lucien again.

“Which one do you choose?”

It was not a difficult question.

The Judgment by the Moon Goddess effectively meant throwing the individuals in question into a deep pit and letting them be for three days and three nights without food and water. Only those whom the Moon Goddess granted mercy would be able to survive. Those who survived the ordeal would be cleansed from all their sins and were accepted back into the community without any condition.

The problem was that despite werewolves’ naturally stronger bodies and higher endurance, not many of them could endure the trial. Non-alpha werewolves would die for sure. Alpha females and children would usually also succumb to death before the 72 hours were over. Those who managed to survive had to watch as their friends, brothers, sisters, parents, spouses, and even children died one by one. It was torture that was crueler than death itself.

When faced with the two choices, any werewolf would go for the second option.

“I would like to go with the Judgment by the Collective Community.”

Even though the second option was not less brutal, it at least granted quicker death and less suffering than the first one.

The Judgment by the Collective Community demanded all the present pack representatives to take a stand and choose who to side with, in this case, either the Silent Walkers Pack or the Night Prowler Pack. Once all packs had chosen who to side with, they must send ten warriors from each pack to participate in the upcoming war between the Silent Walkers Pack and the Night Prowler Pack.

Unfortunately, the Silent Walkers Pack was at a huge disadvantage. Deacon Clearwater, their last Alpha, was not good at forming ties with other packs. Not that it would help much, because who would not prefer to side with the stronger pack? Which was — naturally, in this case — the Night Prowler Pack.

One by one, the Alphas announced who they would like to side with.

“I choose the Night Prowler Pack.”

“The Night Prowler Pack for me.”

“Me too, the Night Prowler Pack.”

Lucien saw a council attendant drawing a line for every pack who chose to side with the Night Prowler Pack. The situation was not looking good. If all thirty packs decided to go against the Silent Walkers Pack, the latter would be decimated within a minute.

Just as the situation was looking gloomier with each passing minute, an Alpha decided to side with the Silent Walkers Pack.