Chapter 18 The Council Hour F :. Finished I haven't attended a Council Hour in months . But the whole truth is that Kade has taken fewer sessions recently . And from what I have heard , he rarely consults his council before declaring justice and offering resolutions . It is only Izel who whispers in his ears . Only she influences his thoughts and decisions . Now he sits tall on the dais , flanked by his small council members and by Izel in pale silk . Wolves crowd the floor - warriors , house - wolves , elders , betas , omegas , all waiting . The omega who just finished explaining his troubles waits patiently on his knees with his head bowed low , listening to the Alpha's justice . When he rises , his face doesn't hide his dissatisfaction . Regardless , he expresses his heartfelt gratitude to Kade and joins the crowd once again . Kade glances toward Jax . " Next . " Jax nods , and his eyes find mine in the crowd . That's when I move . My boots echo softly as I step from the shadows at the back and walk toward the center of the hall . The low murmurs of the crowd fade as heads turn . Izel's smile dies on her lips . " Luna Freya , " someone breathes , the title almost a question . I keep walking . My diadem feels heavy on my forehead , but it feels right . ' Show them our power . Show them we're not meek ,' Nyx growls within me . Kade shifts on the throne . " Freya- " But I speak over him . " I come to address a false decree issued under my name . " Gasps ripple through the crowd . Izel's hand tightens on her skirts . " False ? " Kade repeats the word . I pull a scroll from my sleeve - one of the parchments I found in his vault days ago . " This document claims I ceded all household authority to you , Alpha Kade . That I gave up the title of Luna in favor of ' Lady Izel . It bears my seal . And my handwriting . Except both are forged . " The room stills . Jaws fall open in shock - of the council members and common folk alike . Kade's jaw flexes . " Freya , you will explain yourself ." " I just did ." I cross the dais and place the forged decree before him . " That seal is a copy . The real one hasn't left my possession . Now , a seal may be forged , but how does one forge one's 1/5 21:35 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 18 The Council Hour แล Finished handwriting ? It must take years of practice , perhaps ? Or something ... unnatural . " I let the accusation of witchcraft linger without saying it outright . " You don't remember receiving such a decree from me , do you ? I have never handed over my powers ." Izel laughs , brittle . " You're mistaken . Perhaps you've forgotten- " " Forgotten ? " I cut her off . " You mean when you poisoned me , kept me weak , and whispered to the pack that I'd lost my senses , Lady Izel ? " Several gasps resound in the air , murmurs drowning the room . Izel lifts her chin . " Careful , Freya . Accusing the Alpha's consort of treason is- " " Consort ? " I repeat . " You wear pearls and call yourself lady , but you were never bound to him by the Moon . You are nothing more than his mistress ." Kade stands , voice sharp . " Enough ." The room falls quiet again . His eyes flick from me to Izel . " This is not the place- " " It is exactly the place ," I say softly . " Every wolf here deserves to know and decide who leads this pack . The one who forged decrees ? Or the one wearing the Luna's crown ? " Kade's nostrils flare . " You challenge her standing publicly ? I named her Lady of the House . You go against my orders ? " " Yes . " I lift my head . " Under Moon Law , a false Luna may not claim title , property , or voice in court . She may obviously not forge decrees . Or poison anyone in the pack . I demand you strip her of it now . " Izel takes a step forward . " You dare demand of your Alpha ? " " I dare demand of my husband ," I answer , " because he once swore to protect truth above pride in front of everyone who witnessed our wedding . " That lands heavily . The crowd murmurs again , growing restless . Tamsin , standing with the guards , hides a grin behind her hand . Kade lets out an exasperated sigh . " Freya , you bring shame on us with this spectacle ." " No ," I say . " I bring truth . She forged my name , poisoned my food , and called herself Luna . You've known it . It is you who has humiliated our pack by betraying your lawful marriage . " 50 2/5 21:35 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 18 The Council Hour Finished Kade's eyes flash . " Enough ! " He turns to Izel . " Show me this decree she speaks of Izel hesitates . Her fingers twitch . Kade's tone hardens . " Show me . " Slowly , she picks up the scroll from where I placed it on the table and unfurls it before walking back to Kade . His face darkens as he examines it . He looks between us . " Who wrote this ? " " I don't know , " Izel says too quickly . " It was delivered to me weeks ago . I assumed Freya- " " Lies ," I snap . " Enough ," Kade says again . " I will hear no more bickering . " " You must choose , " I tell him . His eyes flick to mine . For a moment , I see something old there - guilt , maybe , or grief . Then it's gone . " I will not choose between you ." " Then you choose her by default ," I say . He looks away . " Neither of you will use the Luna title until the Conclave decides it . " Izel pales , her cheeks flushing red with shame . " You can't- " " I can , " Kade says coldly . " And I do . Until then , I want to hear no more of this nonsense . " Izel's voice wavers . " Kade- " " Be quiet , " he snaps . " You've caused enough disorder . " For the first time , Izel's composure cracks . Her lips tremble , eyes glassy with humiliation . Around us , whispers grow : Forgery . Deceit . Not the true Luna . And the Alpha let it happen . I bow my head slightly . " As you command , Alpha . " My voice is gentle . " But remember - truth doesn't wait for Conclaves . It stands on its own . " Then I turn and walk down the dais . No one blocks my path . When I pass Tamsin , she murmurs , " That was a clean kill , Luna . " I almost smile . 3/5 21:35 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 18 The Council Hour *** [ NARRATOR ] : . พร Finished Izel stalks through the eastern corridor , fury rolling off her in waves strong enough to curdle the air . Her claws threaten to pierce her gloves . Every servant she passes flattens themselves to the walls , eyes down , ears pinned . No one dares breathe too loudly . Kade's words still ring in her head . You've caused enough disorder . Dismissed . In front of the entire pack . Before guards , elders - before Freya . Her jaw aches from clenching . The sapphire gleam of that cursed diadem still burns behind her eyelids . Freya had walked into court like she owned the moon itself . And the pack had watched her - listened to her . Even Kade hadn't stopped her . Izel reaches the spiral stairway leading to the council wing . She takes the steps two at a time , skirts whispering like angry ghosts . At the end of the corridor , heavy oak doors guard Elder Thane's study . The scent of parchment and ale leaks through the crack . She doesn't knock . She shoves them open . Elder Thane looks up from his desk . " Lady Izel , " he says , voice smooth as oil . " I heard there was ... excitement in the court today . " " Mockery , " she snaps . " Freya humiliated me before the entire pack . Kade stripped me of my title , refused to defend me ." Thane leans back in his chair , hands steepled . " And what is it you want from me ? " " I want justice , " she hisses . " The High Council must see what she's done - what she's become . The envoy was a fucking disappointment ." " Justice ," he repeats softly . " Or vengeance ? " Izel's lips curl . " Both ." She draws a scroll from her sleeve , already inked with her formal petition . " I invoke Section Twelve of the Luna Charter . I request a Competency Trial . " Thane's brows rise . " A dangerous path . You would pit yourself against the true Luna before the High Council ? Especially after knowing she bears the High Luna's mark ? That is a blood sport ." " Let her bleed for her crown , " Izel says . " I will burn her with my fire. I will call upon my ancestors . I will siphon their powers and tear her apart ." Thane studies her for a long moment . Then he smiles . " Very well . I will deliver your petition myself ." As she turns to leave , his voice follows her . " Be certain you can survive what you've begun , Lady 4/5 Finished 21:35 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 18 The Council Hour Izel . The Moon has a cruel sense of fairness . " " I've never bowed , " she says without looking back . " I survive . Always . Like everyone in my family before me did . " The doors close behind her with a heavy thud , echoing through the halls like the toll of a distant war drum . Send Gifts (