The pack members exploded with outrage.

Everyone stared at the witch's blurry projection, seething with rage. Voices from the crowd screamed for Koda to be dragged out and killed.

Harold surged forward a step, getting in my face.

"A memory trace can't be faked!"

"Your son's crimes — everyone just saw them with their own eyes!"

I glanced at the so-called witch standing in the middle of the grounds.

There wasn't a trace of panic on my face.

I hadn't expected the Pembertons to go this far. They'd actually hired a witch to fabricate evidence. Manufacturing that entire fake sequence targeting my son must have cost them a fortune.

I met the crowd's furious stares, my tone as even as ever.

"That memory trace is fake."

Harold's eyes went wide. His whole body coiled tighter, and he roared even louder.

"The witch performed the trace herself and you still won't accept it?"

"Your whole family is rotten to the core!"

Daisy's tears hadn't even dried. She suddenly wrenched free from Gloria's grip, locked her eyes on me, and screamed.

"You reject my testimony!"

"Now you reject the witch's trace!"

Her voice pitched higher, breaking. "What do you want from me? You want me dead? Is that it?"

The words barely left her mouth before Daisy whipped out a gleaming silver dagger from her pocket.

She gripped the handle with both hands and pressed the tip against her own chest.

The crowd gasped.

Gloria let out a desperate scream and threw herself at Daisy, clinging to her arm.

Harold's red-rimmed eyes bored into me. His whole body was shaking as he spoke through clenched teeth.

"If Koda doesn't confess today — I'll drag your entire family down with me, even if it kills me!"

With the situation spiraling again, Alpha Kieran's expression turned to stone. He released another crushing wave of dominance, flattening the noise across the entire grounds.

Everyone was forced into silence.

"Enough. I will deliver a fair ruling." His voice left no room for argument.

But the dominance couldn't extinguish the anger. Pack members rallied behind Harold, shouting their support.

"The witch confirmed it and she's still denying it!" someone yelled.

Several people pushed through the crowd, demanding Alpha strip me of my Beta rank.

Harold forced himself to resist the Alpha's pressure. He planted his feet and bellowed.

"Alpha, you think pack law lets the guy who destroyed my daughter just walk?"

"Koda has to pay for what he did!"

Silence fell over the training grounds. Every eye turned to the Alpha, waiting for his ruling.

Alpha Kieran turned and fixed his gaze on me.

One final question.

"Vera, regarding the witch's memory trace and Daisy's account — do you have anything further to say?"

I met his scrutinizing stare without backing down.

I squared my shoulders and spoke, slow and deliberate.

"My best evidence is my son himself."

"Alpha, I'm asking you to bring Koda here."

Alpha Kieran held my gaze for a long moment, then nodded.

He gestured to two warriors and sent them to my residence to bring Koda.

The training grounds fell into a tense, crawling silence.

Every eye locked on the entrance.

The Pembertons stood rigid, faces twisted with hatred. They were clearly prepared to take down the animal the moment he appeared.

Minutes dragged by. At last, the two warriors appeared at the entrance.

But when everyone got a clear look at the figure being led onto the grounds —

The entire crowd went still.