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This sent the pack into an uproar. Luna nearly crumpled to the steps. It was the mere thought of Adrian that kept her standing.
She couldn’t buckle. She needed to stand tall for the pack.
“So now we’re bringing known murderers into our midst.” Devdan chortled. “Wow. I really have seen it all.”
Luna spoke, though her throat was dry and pained. “Maurice, first of all, thank you for your question,” Luna said.
But Maurice was already stepping aside, with Victor filling the space where he stood.
She had the most disturbing feeling that Victor had told Maurice to ask that question. Maurice didn’t seem to understand the gravity of his words at the moment.
“All I can say is these are baseless accusations,” Luna replied. “Which means they’re not true, Maurice. I don’t know who told you that, but I would never hurt anybody.”
She looked sideways at Sasha, who was looking down. Why was she no longer adamantly defending her? She had promised to stand by her side in this.
“Typical evasion,” Devdan yelled. “We want answers! Why would you do that?”
“Yeah,” Bruce said. “You need to be held accountable for your crimes.”
By now, the crowd was becoming a one-hive mind. She felt Victor gloating, standing tall over the crowd. She imagined him as a puppeteer guiding a line of marionettes, his dirty, clawed fingers holding the strings.
“Rest assured,” Victor said. “Whatever Luna did, she will face trial for it back at her own pack. I’ll be traveling there soon to ensure there is no doubt in your mind. Quite a checkered past you have, Miss Luna. Are you sure you’re fit to lead?”
Luna didn’t know what to say. Every utterance that came out of her mouth was met with a loud interjection. Bruce asked her about his shipments again, and she found herself constantly interrupted by Devdan.
She felt hopeless.
“Enough!”
In the distance, she heard a familiar, self-assured voice approaching, his muscular form dwarfing even Victor.
The crowd stood aside as was customary. Adrian took his place beside Luna on the steps.
“I’m back, so you can save any questions you have for me personally,” Adrian said before adding, “I saw everything. You’ve all behaved shamefully. Everybody who deals in conspiracy theories and rumors can go home.”
The crowd parted gradually, though there were some utterances from Devdan asking where the great Adrian had gotten off to.
Luna didn’t see Victor disappear. He had simply vanished somewhere into the shadows, seemingly as soon as Adrian arrived.
Adrian stood before the crowd, answering only a few questions. With Victor gone, the fears were easy to put to rest.
Curiously, Edna was nowhere to be seen among the interrogators. Luna hoped Victor hadn’t gotten to her.
“Seems things have gotten a bit uneasy in my absence,” Adrian said when the three of them were finally alone on the steps.
Luna reached over, embracing him in a big hug. The feeling of his warmth was so comforting.
“I’m sorry,” Sasha said. “I feel like I failed you.”
Luna and Adrian broke their embrace, giving each other one last longing look.
“I know you tried, sis,” Adrian said. “These are difficult times.”
Sasha shook her head rapidly.
“No,” Sasha replied. “I promised Luna I would watch over her and protect her from Victor. But the moment Victor showed up, I started to doubt her.”
Luna cast her eyes down to the steps, looking at the imperfections in the brick. If even Sasha couldn’t defend her against Victor, what hope did she really have?
