Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy Chapter 59

ARIA

A knock on the door interrupted our discussion. One of the council's attendants stood there, looking official and slightly nervous.

"The council has reached a decision," he announced. "They're ready to reconvene."

We filed back into the council chamber, taking our seats as the gallery filled once more with observers. Damon was brought back in, still chained, still looking beaten but somehow still defiant. Like he couldn't quite accept that this was really happening, that his actions had brought him to this point.

Alpha Morrison waited for silence before speaking.

"The council has reached a unanimous decision regarding Alpha Damon Cross of Blackwood Pack," he announced, his voice formal and final. "For the crimes of unlawful disruption of a sacred bonding ceremony, assault on a pack member, bringing armed wolves into neutral territory without permission, and issuing an unauthorized challenge during a protected ritual, we render the following judgment."

He paused, letting the weight of the moment settle over the room.

"Effective immediately, Damon Cross is stripped of his Alpha title and all associated rights and privileges. He is sentenced to two years imprisonment to be served in a neutral facility overseen by the council. Following his imprisonment, he will be placed on probation for an additional three years, during which time his movements and activities will be monitored. Any violation of pack law during this probationary period will result in permanent exile from the territories."

The chamber erupted. Some wolves were nodding approval, others looked shocked by the severity.

Damon himself had gone pale, his mouth opening and closing like he couldn't quite form words.

"Furthermore," Morrison continued, raising his voice to be heard over the commotion,

"leadership of Blackwood Pack will pass to Luna Sera Cross, pending her acceptance of the position and formal recognition by her pack. The council will provide support and oversight during this transition to ensure stability."

"No," Damon finally found his voice.

"No, you can't do this. I'm Alpha. I've been Alpha for six years. You can't just take that away—"

"We can and we have," Morrison said firmly.

"Your actions demonstrated that you are unfit for the responsibility of Alpha leadership. You imprisoned pack members, violated sacred laws, and acted from obsession rather than wisdom. Blackwood Pack deserves better. The territories deserve better."

"This is because of her," Damon said, his wild gaze swinging to me. "Because you all believe her lies about me. Because she's turned everyone against me with her victim act—"

"This is because of you," I said quietly, and something in my tone made him stop. "Because of choices you made, actions you took, boundaries you violated. I didn't turn anyone against you, Damon. You did that yourself. And now you get to live with the consequences."

Morrison brought the gavel down one final time.

"This session is concluded. The defendant will be removed to begin serving his sentence immediately. All other matters related to this situation will be addressed in subsequent sessions."

Guards moved to take Damon away. He fought them at first, still trying to argue, still trying to find some way out of this. But eventually, they managed to restrain him properly and begin leading him from the chamber.

As he passed where I sat, he stopped fighting long enough to look at me one last time.

"I love you," he said, and for the first time, there was something broken in his voice instead of desperate.

"I know you don't believe me. I know I destroyed any chance we had. But Aria, I do love you. And I'm sorry. For all of it. I'm so sorry."

I didn't respond. Couldn't respond. Because what was there to say to someone who'd caused so much damage in the name of love?

Who'd hurt so many people while claiming it was all for me?

So I just watched him be led away, taking with him the last vestiges of the life I'd lived in Blackwood, the last pieces of the girl who'd devoted herself to an Alpha who never truly saw her.

When the chamber finally cleared, when it was just Kael and Nina and a few stragglers left, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"It's done," I said softly. "It's finally done."