🌙 Episode 35: The Trial of Truth
Lila's POV
I woke with fire in my bones. Every bruise from yesterday screamed in protest as I sat up, but the pain was nothing compared to the weight of dread pressing against my chest.
The Trial of Truth.
The words had echoed in my mind all night, twisting into nightmares where Ethan's eyes glowed with something monstrous, where the wolves circled me with teeth bared, demanding to know things I couldn't answer.
And now, standing in the council chamber again, I could feel the shift in the air. The wolves weren't hungry for blood this time. They were hungry for honesty.
Rowan's gaze cut through me. "Today we will strip away lies," he said. "The human will face questions that cannot be answered falsely. The bond itself will see to that."
My heart lurched. The bond?
Marcus's smirk was waiting for me. "How convenient," he murmured, his eyes glinting. "She'll expose herself with her own mouth."
I wanted to argue, but the moment Rowan lifted his hand, I felt it—the pull. Like an invisible thread wrapped around my chest, tight, unrelenting. It burned with the same heat I felt whenever Ethan touched me.
The bond.
Rowan's voice was calm, but it carried an edge that silenced the hall. "Lila, do you choose loyalty to Ethan freely? Or is it born from fear?"
The thread burned hotter, and I knew—I couldn't lie. The truth clawed its way to my tongue.
"I choose him freely."
Gasps filled the chamber. Rowan's eyes narrowed, searching my face for cracks. Marcus scowled.
But the burning in my chest eased, confirming I had spoken truth.
Ethan's POV
I stood at the edge, fists clenched, my heart hammering harder than it had during the Trial of Strength.
This wasn't about her body—it was about her soul. And I couldn't shield her from it.
Marcus stepped forward, his smile cruel. "Then answer me this, human. Do you know what Ethan is capable of when he loses control?"
The bond seared between us, demanding truth.
Lila's throat worked as she swallowed, her eyes darting to mine. I felt the words before she spoke them.
"No."
The chamber stirred. Marcus's smirk widened.
Rowan's eyes flicked to me, sharp. "Then let her see."
Before I could react, Marcus moved—faster than my rage could stop him. He slashed his claw across my arm. Pain flared, blood spilling. My wolf surged to the surface, my vision flashing gold.
Lila gasped as the bond burned hotter, shoving her into my storm.
Lila's POV
The air thickened, heavy with something primal. Ethan's eyes glowed, his breathing ragged. I felt it through the bond—the wild, feral edge of his wolf clawing for control.
For a terrifying moment, I thought he'd turn on Marcus. Or me.
"Ethan," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Look at me."
His chest heaved, his claws flexing, but his gaze snapped to mine. The bond seared between us, and I reached for him, ignoring the gasps from the watching wolves.
"You're not a monster," I said, my hand brushing his bloodied arm. "You're mine."
The golden blaze in his eyes flickered, then steadied. His claws retracted, his body trembling but under control.
The burning thread in my chest cooled, confirming truth.
Rowan's voice cut through the silence. "The Trial of Truth is complete."
But Marcus wasn't finished. His voice dripped venom as he stepped closer. "She may trust you, Alpha. But how long before the truth of what you've done breaks her faith?"
My blood ran cold. What he's done?
I turned to Ethan, my heart thudding. "What is he talking about?"
Ethan's jaw tightened, his eyes flicking to Rowan.
The silence was louder than a confession.
Ethan's POV
Her eyes. Spirits, her eyes. Searching mine, desperate for answers I couldn't give. Not here. Not now.
Marcus knew. Rowan knew. And soon, Lila would know the one truth I'd buried deeper than any other.
The secret that could destroy her trust in me forever.
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✨ End of Episode 35