Moonlight lovers, bonded by fate

Chapter 6

"I am Camila White. I am...I am the Alpha's daughter of the Eastern Wood Pack," Camila announced. Luna Ruth was the first to gasp, "What??"

Luna Ruth quickly composed herself, as she hadn’t expected to speak while her husband was present.

"Forgive me, My Lord," Luna Ruth apologized, and the murmuring among the chiefs, who had all sat to see the new foreigners, ceased.

The Western Wood Pack didn’t want their sons or daughters to be slaves in the pack anymore; even the lowest-ranking Omegas deserved respect. They aimed to suppress the burden on any defaulter or foreigner that arrived, ensuring they wouldn’t have to serve and clean in the pack house.

Henry was equally shocked to hear that the beautiful female he admired was the Alpha's daughter of the Eastern Wood Pack.

After a brief moment of silence, Alpha Collins spoke, "Hmm... So what brings the daughter of Alpha Jackson White here?"

Camila shivered as she heard Alpha Collins laugh incredulously at her father's name, and tears streamed freely down her face as she struggled to speak.

"I cannot believe that Alpha Jackson would banish his own daughter. Speak! Why are you among us? Are you here to monitor us and report back to your father on how our pack operates?" Alpha Collins thundered. Camila replied, "No, my Lord."

"Hmm... You are forbidden to call me 'my lord,' as you are the daughter of my enemy. But first, tell us why you are here and who brought you here last night," Alpha Collins demanded, remembering that his son had brought home a young lady the previous night who shared similar features with Camila.

Was it possible that Henry had brought the Alpha's daughter home? Hmm... Alpha Collins frowned, and Camila felt afraid to speak.

"Are you going to speak, or do you want me to order the guards to begin flogging you until you confess to us?" Alpha Collins asked, and Camila shivered, looking upward.

She was already crying and afraid to speak. Finally, she managed to say, "I am pregnant."

"Pregnant? What? By whom?" Alpha Collins exclaimed, his confusion palpable. He felt a subtle fear, not wanting to think that Henry had gotten the beautiful young lady pregnant. He had seen how Henry stared at Camila the previous night, which was likely why his wife had complained.

"Answer me! Do you realize that you are not supposed to keep the Alpha waiting, or for me to repeat my question? Tell me: why were you banished, or are you lying to us?" Alpha Collins inquired in an angry tone.

Camila shook her head and replied, "No, Alpha, I am not lying. My father sent me away because I became pregnant, and I don't know who is responsible..."

"Hmm..." Alpha Collins was silent as he struggled to believe that Alpha Jackson White would banish his own daughter. He was sure that Alpha Jackson had only one child, the daughter he looked up to, believing she would rule his pack regardless of being female. Yet, Alpha Jackson still had the heart to banish his own daughter.

Silence ensued in the large hall used for judgment, and Henry’s frown deepened from where he stood upstairs, gazing down at Camila.

Henry could not believe that Camila was loose, yet she looked so innocent and humble.

Was that how looks were really deceiving? Henry wondered silently as his wolf, Matt, growled internally within him.

He perceived Camila as his mate at first sight, but she had already been touched. Did that mean she already had a mate? Was she his second-chance mate and not his true mate? Henry's heart broke as he squinted his gaze at Camila.

After a brief moment of silence, Alpha Collins spoke again, "I still find it hard to believe that your father would banish you for becoming pregnant. How can you be in an affair with multiple men and not know who got you pregnant? That is truly shameful and dishonorable toward your father. I can't blame him for his actions."

The Grand Hall fell into another brief moment of silence. Juliet and Madelyn stared irritably at Camila, envious of her beauty. They couldn’t believe that Camila looked so beautiful, like snow white in the daytime.

Though Juliet and Madelyn were brown-skinned, they felt intimidated by the presence of any beautiful lady, as they considered themselves princesses.

They lowly growled and glared at Camila while hearing their father’s final judgment as they stood upstairs on the balcony, watching their father judge Camila.

"You shall be tested to verify the truth of what you've just said, and after that, your punishment or task will be communicated to you. Next," Alpha Collins said, letting his gaze fall on the next lady after Camila. This lady admitted to being a defaulter of her pack and having an illicit affair with someone else's mate.

"What pack are you from?" Alpha Collins asked the lady to confirm. She was from the Eastern Wood Pack and a peer of Camila's.

"Hmm..." Alpha Collins continued with the rest of the remaining two women, all of whom were defaulters. It wasn’t easy for a member of the Eastern Wood Pack to exit their territory, as every pack had its own entrance gate, except those who had been banished and cut off from pack functions.

"Hmm..." Alpha Collins finished judging, and while the rest of the five foreigners were taken away, Camila was the last one remaining for Alpha Collins to conclude on her situation.

"Take her away for a pregnancy test to determine if she’s truly pregnant. If she is, she should be assigned to servitude and not punished like the other four defaulters, except for the young doctor among them who is here for tourism. If she is not pregnant, she shall be severely flogged for a week before being assigned to a more brutal task. Is that understood?" Alpha Collins questioned the head guard, who bowed and responded, "Yes, Alpha."

"Take her away too..." Alpha Collins dismissed, and the meeting finally concluded as he dismissed all his cabinet chiefs.

"This meeting has come to an end," the beta announced.

****

Luna Ruth was pleased that Camila was pregnant. She felt a sense of relief, knowing that Henry wouldn’t want anything to do with a pregnant woman, especially someone else's mate.

She smiled satisfactorily as she stood up, wondering where Henry was. Looking upstairs, she saw him walk away, heading back into the corridor.

"Brother, what's with the solemn look on your face?" Juliet asked, turning to face Henry. She was an 18-year-old she-wolf with her twin sister and had just found her mate.

Henry stopped, wearing a long white noble garment, as he was not going out for any function. He looked at his younger sisters and replied, "Nothing. I need to rest now."

"Okay. I thought you were affected by that white bumpkin. I cannot wait to turn her into my personal slave and wreak havoc on her almost pale skin." Juliet held a wicked grin on her face, and Madelyn replied, "But she’s pregnant."

"What if she’s lying? She is our enemy’s daughter, and we are free to treat her as we please, without mercy. Besides, she’s of Alpha blood. Let’s see how strong the Alpha princess of the Eastern Wood Pack truly is!" Juliet smirked, while Henry only shook his head sadly and walked away silently.

Henry was not ready to reveal to his sisters or family that he had feelings for Camila and perceived her as his mate, as he had not yet found a mate of his own.