“Who told you that the angelica flowers were traditional?” Gideon asked, voice flat.
I hesitated. I knew who it had been, but I didn’t want to implicate her.
It had been Madelyn who had given me the info and allayed my suspicions when I’d found the unusual flowers.
From our conversation the other night, I knew that Jessica had something over her. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that she had told Madelyn to make sure I didn’t interfere in her scheme.
And it had worked, I had believed Madelyn, and suppressed my own instincts. Stupid.
Madelyn herself had tried to warn me to watch out, that I had a target on my back. She had known this was coming.
“Who told you?” Gideon repeated.
The crowd began to whisper at my silence. Anna squeezed my hand.
“Tell him, child. Whoever it is, they knew what they were doing.” she whispered.
“It was a girl named Madelyn, Alpha.” I said, softly.
“Bring her.” Gideon growled.
I stepped across the floor to him quickly.
“Gideon, I have reason to believe that she was forced to tell me so.” I whispered as quietly as I could while the crowd rumbled. I touched his arm, trying to communicate that I didn’t believe Madelyn was the mastermind here.
His face did not change, staring straight ahead as I spoke.
“Gideon, please.” I pleaded, “I saw her crying due to Jessica’s bullying. I believe that it was she who told her to change the flower shipment and to keep me from looking into it.”
For a moment, Gideon’s eyes flicked to meet mine. Then he shrugged my hand off and turned away.
Rebuffed, I fell back, and stood there helplessly while Madelyn was summoned.
Within a few moments, Madelyn was pushed from the crowd onto the floor, delivered by one of Gideon’s warriors. She looked terrified, and I felt my heart sink.
Jessica still looked triumphant, although her body language was less confident. That alone told me that we weres still playing right into her hands.
“Madelyn,” Gideon’s eyes swept over her coldly, “Do you confess here, in front of your pack, that you knowingly gave information to your Luna that you knew to be incomplete and false?”
“Yes, Alpha.” Madelyn whispered miserably. “I told the Luna that the flowers belonged there.”
“You willfully put your pack in harms way! You lied to pack hierarchy, and you broke trust with those around you!” Gideon roared.
Madelyn fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“Will anyone here speak in her defense?” Gideon spun in a circle, looking at the pack collectively. His stare was baleful and intimidating.
Madelyn trembled, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She turned desperate eyes towards Jessica.
The other woman ignored her pointedly.
I couldn’t stand it.
I stepped forward.
“Alpha Gideon,” I addressed him coolly, “I will vouch for Madelyn. I do not believe that she intended to cause harm. I believe that she is a good person, and a good wolf in this pack.’
A few in the audience clapped, while others buzzed to their neighbors.
Gideon’s gaze was furious as it fixed on me.
“So,” he stalked over to me, “You will vouch for her good behavior from here forward?” His eyes were burning coals.
I swallowed, but lifted my chin and said loudly, “I will.”
Gideon stared at me for a long moment.
“Fine.” He snapped. “Then you will be in charge of her punishment, to be delivered before the next New Moon.
The din rose to a crescendo at the pronouncement.
“The Luna will deliver the punishment!” said a babble of voices.
“And Avery,” Gideon snarled, “If she does anything to harm the pack again, you will pay the price.
Then he turned on his heel and left the hall.
Avery’s POV
As Gideon stalked out of the ceremony hall, the pack surged around me. It seemed like everyone had something to say, but I heard none of their words. All I could hear was the echo of Gideon saying, “You will pay the price.”
I had shackled myself to Madelyn, and now we would find out if I made the right choice.
Jessica, predictably, had to get her words in. She marched right over to me in the crowd and said, “What a shame you had to vouch for poor little Madelyn. It feels like she’s always getting in trouble. Would be a real pity if you got taken down with her.” and then she gave me the biggest feral-cat grin ever and slunk away.
“Did you lose in a cat fight?” I called after her, “You’ve still got scratches on your cheek!”
I felt a surge of satisfaction as I saw her back stiffen, but she kept walking.
I walked over to where Madelyn was still sitting on the floor, wiping her tears away.
“Are you ok?” I asked, offering her a hand up. She took it, gratefully.
“I’ve been better.” She said, with a wan smile, “But thank you, for standing up for me.”
“One of these days you’ll have to tell me what she has on you.” I said, with a touch of aspersion.
Madelyn winced, but shrugged ruefully. “Maybe one day.”
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