Isabella’s POV

[Flashback]

“A little more,” I said to myself.

The loose soil squashed between my palms as I slowly eased the soil about a bunch of moonleaf herbs. Their green leaves were pale and delicate and stubborn by turns as I touched them. I had grown these plants myself, and I had seen them slowly rooting in the course of the last year.

This garden always was my solitary spot.

Since I was the Luna and healer of Shadowfang Pack, I spent most of my free time here. The plants of this garden were not purely decoration or hobbies. All the leaves and roots and flowers were useful. Some healed wounds. Some lowered fever. Others soothed agitated wolves in their painful transformation.

I dusted my hands, slowly caressing my tummy aso felt a little kick.

A slight smile crept upon my face.

“Hello, baby,” I mumbled, rubbing my belly. “I’ll go eat soon hm? Sorry for starving you.”

The wind passed through the garden with the light smell of herbs and fresh soil. It was peaceful. Too peaceful.

“I wonder what you will be like,” I thought to myself. Will you be like your father or like me?

I hesitated and reflected about Adrian.

My mate.

Alpha Adrian Blackwood of Shadowfang Pack.

A weight sunk in my chest.

Our relationship wasn’t the typical Alpha and Luna relationship. Adrian was aloof since the night the moon goddess paired us together, I tried to make him warm but that was futile. After his mother fell ill. He had paid most of his attention to how she was treated and when she died he forgot that I existed.

Nevertheless, I had wished that this child would make a difference.

Perhaps, once Adrian met his child first.

Perhaps my life would go be filled with warmth and love.

“Luna Isabella!”

The abrupt voice broke the silence of the garden.

I turned around and looked along the road and beheld a small pack messenger running at my direction. He breathed in an irregular manner and his pose was rigid with impatience.

“Yes?” I asked.

He bowed quickly. “The Pack Council want you to be at the meeting room at once.”

I frowned slightly. “The council?”

“Yes, Luna,” he replied quickly. “They said it is urgent.”

My stomach tightened.

The council seldom summoned anyone without warning, more so not the Luna.

Still, I nodded. “Very well. I’ll come.”

The walk to the Meeting room was longer than it should have been.

Two guards moved aside and allowed me to go through as I went close to the big wooden doors. Their faces were abnormally grave.

That queer pain in my heart was intensified.

As soon as I got into the hall, I knew that something was terribly wrong.

Elders of the Pack Council were already seated in their usual places. Their looks were hard and unintelligible.

And in the middle of the room was Adrian.

My mate.

Alpha Adrian Blackwood.

His pose was stiff, and his face was void of emotion .

He didn’t look at me.

I continued to walk forward and confusion increased.

“Elder Rowan,” i said with respect. “You summoned me?”

The eldest member of the council was Elder Rowan, and he stared right at me.

His tone was strong as he talked.

“Isabella Hart, Luna of Shadowfang Pack, and head healer appointed of this territory, thou hast been called here to answer grave charges.”

There was a weird shiver in my body.

“Accusations?” I repeated.

The stare of Elder Rowan was hardened.

“You are accused of killing the mother of Alpha, Helena Blackwood.”

I was hit by the words as a physical blow.

“What?” I breathed.

I wondered briefly whether I had not heard him right.

“No, no, no,” I said hastily.

Another aged man pushed a little box made out of wood on the table.

“Do you recognize this?” he asked.

He opened the box.

Inside were dried herbs.

My heart skipped.

I knew them perfectly well. “My herbs…” I unconsciously muttered.

The elder went on to say that these herbs were found in my personal garden. “Witnesses assert that they were utilized when the Alpha mother was being treated.” He said, his eyes never leaving mine.

My voice came out shaky. “Yes, I used herbs. Those were to aid in reducing her pain . They were not harmful.”

“Well that is not what our sources could say.” The elder said, rudely interrupting me.

Somebody came forward before I could say another word.

Clara Wells.

My best friend.

I was relieved the moment when I saw her face.

Clara would get it all straightened out.

She was fully aware of everything. She had assisted me in picking some of the herbs herself.

“Clara,” I said softly.

“Clara wells, restate everything you told me on that fateful day, in front of this council.” Elder Rowan said.

Clara looked at me well, and cleared her throat before she started speaking.

“I saw Isabella experiment on the mother of the Alpha,” Clara said.

My mind blanked out on the words.

“What?” I whispered.

Clara didn’t look at me.

“She had applied herbs and procedures that she was not familiar with during the treatment,” Clara went on. “I had told her that those remedies were perilous, but she wished to have a way to achieve immortality or anything like it. She had tried it on the alpha’s mother. I tried to stop her, I tried to say the truth, but she threatened me, threatened to kill me and my mother. But now… I can’t stay quiet anymore. The alpha’s mother deserves Justice and her murderer should not be allowed freedom or rest.”

I stared at her.

Pain painfully contracted my chest.

“That’s not true,” I said quickly. “Clara, you.. why are you saying this?”

Clara dropped her eyes and did not say another word.

My eyes moved to Adrian.

Surely he would utter something.

He knew me.

He was aware that I would never harm his mother.

“Adrian,” I said to myself, as I looked up to him.

My voice trembled slightly. “You know I would never do that.”

I thought a moment he would look at me. But he didn’t. Adrian instead continued to stare at Clara. He refused to meet my eyes. That was worse than any accusation. It seemed that my heart was breaking in my chest.

“I am innocent,” I said desperately, and looked back at the elders. “Please, listen to me. I was trying to save her. I would never dare to experiment on the life of a person.

The elders looked at each other in short glances.

Their words were cold, however.

The witness and testimony against you is great, Elder Rowan said. Your activities had caused death to the mother of the Alpha.

“No,” I whispered.

My voice barely came out.

He proceeded, after hearing the testimony, to say, the council makes you guilty.

The room appeared to rotate a little.

Guilty?

I could hardly take in the word.

“But…” I tried to speak. “But… I did not even have a decent hearing! How will I be found guilty when this is the first time my charges are being made known to me-“

I was stopped by Elder Rowan who put up his hand. “Such a crime would normally lead to instant execution.”

The term execution caught me off my breath.But it seemed he was not done as he continued talking.

“But since you are pregnant for the Alpha.” Elder Rowan continued.

A murmur was passing through the room.

“Owing to this,” he added, “the council will not punish you, until you have been put to bed.”

Two guards came up behind me.

“You shall be locked in the dungeon, till the child is born,” Elder Rowan said. “The baby’s gender would determine your fate.”

My legs felt weak.

Suddenly cold metal straps were clenched around my wrists.

I gasped softly.

“Take her away,” Elder Rowan said.