Blessed By The Moon

Chapter 10

When I opened my eyes, the sterile white walls of the infirmary greeted me, and a dull ache settled into my limbs. Straps bit into my wrists and ankles, pinning me to the bed like a trapped animal. Axe was slumped in a chair nearby, his usually hard features softened by the grip of sleep. But it didn't last long —his eyes opened, and the moment he saw I was awake, his expression hardened, and he straightened up.

"So, you're finally back with us," he said, voice low and tense.

I squirmed under the straps. "Axe—what is this? Why am I strapped down like a prisoner?"

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "What did you expect? A celebration?" He sat forward, voice tight. "You killed a guard, Skye. Right in front of everyone. How did you think this was going to end?"

My heart sank, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "Axe, he was attacking Lucille, and then he attacked me! I didn't have a choice—it was self-defense!"

His jaw clenched, his hands gripping the arms of his chair. "That doesn't matter, Skye. There's a protocol, a system for a reason. You could have let the guards handle it—reported it, let the pack punish him. We have laws, Skye! And because you ignored them, you left me with my hands tied."

"Laws?" I shot back, incredulous. "So, what—I'm supposed to just stand there, watch him... hurt her, wait until it's too late for some protocol, to step in?"

His voice was a harsh whisper. "You don't think I wanted to stop him myself? You think I don't want to protect every member of this pack? But we don't live in chaos, Skye. We have order for a reason. If every member took matters into their own hands, we'd tear ourselves apart."

I could feel the panic rising, a tight knot in my throat. "But... you're the Alpha. You have the power to change things, to... to bend the rules when it's the right thing to do!"

His expression grew colder, and he took a step back, crossing his arms. "Not when it threatens the entire pack's stability. This isn't just about you, Skye. Do you know what kind of uproar this has caused? Brian's family, friends and his fellow guards are asking for revenge—they're demanding justice."

"Justice?" I spat, my voice trembling with fury. "Where was the justice when Brian was tormenting Lucille? Where's the justice in making me pay with my life for protecting her?"

Axe's jaw twitched, and he looked away, like he couldn't stand the sight of me. "You didn't just break pack law, Skye. You shattered it. And now I have to follow through on the punishment set in stone. I can't just... overturn a ruling because I care about you."

I froze. "So, what? You're going to... sentence me to die? You're really going to do that?" No, no, no..

He met my gaze, his voice raw, an edge of pain flickering behind his anger. "It's out of my hands, Skye. You know that. An Alpha who doesn't uphold pack law isn't fit to lead. This isn't just about me, it's about maintaining order, keeping everyone safe. Without that, this whole pack could descend into chaos. Public order would shatter."

I tugged against the restraints, desperation clawing at me. "Axe... please. You can't change the law but you can find a way around it, weren't you studying that in university?"

But he shook his head, sadness creeping into his features. "If I do that for you, others will demand the same. There will be nothing to hold the pack together. And with Brian's family out for blood, appeasing them is the only way to keep things from falling apart."

"So that's it? You're just going to throw me to the wolves, literally, because... because you're afraid of what might happen?" My voice cracked, and a tear escaped down my cheek.