Chapter 44 - Trials

*****Coda's POV*****

I couldn't stop thinking about Maddison's shocked face when her father had mentioned the possibility of her becoming a Luna.

I guess I never really thought about it much either up until this morning.

If I take over from my father, I'll become the new Alpha making my mate (which is her) the Luna.

I just pray that she warms up to the idea and will accept the title if it does come down to it but who knows what will even happen when we go over to my old pack.

I don't even know if I'll be able to handle being back there if I'm fully honest but the King made it clear that he would be there to support me fully when we do visit which was warming to know.

We were now currently over at the pack house in the large thrown room where the pack has their meals, celebrations, large meetings and so on.

I honestly didn't even realise how big the royal pack really was until I seen this place. It was huge to say the least. Much bigger than my old pack house from what I can remember. Not to mentioned that the King owns large amounts of land around here where his pack members also build their own private houses once they fancy some privacy away from living at the pack house.

This building was much different compared to the private mansion where the royals (the King, Luna, Maddison and so on) lived but nonetheless everybody in this home seemed just as happy despite there being more people that lived here.

The King had booked out the throne room from 1pm-4pm in order for us to begin the trials for the wolves that were captured in the land of the rogues after we had killed Silvia.

We were going to bring them in one by one to offer them a fair trial and if I knew them personally then I'd be able to help guide the King on whether they were dangerous or not and should be locked away or instead be given the chance at joining the pack.

I hope I don't fuck this up...

"Okay are you ready?" The King questions me as I nod, us both getting comfy in our seats.

After all this would take a while...

I watch as the first woman enters- my eyebrows raising slightly when I notice the elderly maid that used to serve breakfast to my room every morning.

She was held by two guards as they guided her across the large room towards us.

I study her carefully as her eyes widen when noticing me beside the King. I offer her a small smile to try my best to calm her but it doesn't seem to work as she darts her gaze between the King and I in a frenzy.

"Coda?" The King turns to me for insight once the woman is halted before us.

"She was a maid back at the rogue house and would help serve breakfast in the mornings... she's harmless." I shrug, as he nods approvingly.

"What is your name?" The King questions loudly, stating his natural authority as she shivers at his tone.

"J-Jules Newton... Sir..." She stutters out nervously, breaking into an evident sweat.

She's clueless as to what's going on so she must be terrified at the moment.

"Okay Jules... As the Alpha King... I wish to offer you the chance at joining our pack since Coda here informs me that you mean no harm. Where do you think you would be best placed? I will offer you a warm room to sleep in here at my pack house along with free meals and care each day and you can help out around the house in return... does this sound like a fair deal to you?" The King questions as her mouth falls open in slight horror at his words.

"Why y-yes sir... that would be lovely thank you... I enjoy cooking... I could maybe help out in the kitchen..." She stutters from nerves however she doesn't seem to look as scared now after hearing that he means her no harm.

"I, the Alpha King, hearby offer Jules Newton a place in my pack." The King says firmly, as she offers him a soft smile when hearing his words.

"I accept... thank you so much... I mean for not killing me and for giving me this chance Alpha..." Jules smiles softly, as the guards release her slowly.

"Show Jules to her new room men and show her around the home so she knows where to go if she needs anything." The King nods as the two guards show her out.

As quickly as the doors close behind them, they reopen again bringing in the next wolf for trial.

This time it was a man. A tall scruffy looking man with a prominent deep scar running across his face.

I knew that scar anywhere...

This was the same man that I would always see leaving the cells whenever I would head down to visit Maddison.

He would always leave the girl he had visited crying extremely loudly and in pain... not to mention the strong smell of sex that reeked from him whenever I would pass...

As he grew closer to our seats I watch him scoff loudly when his eyes meet mine.

"Problem rogue?!" I snarl immediately, the Kings attention turning to me in an instant at my outburst.

"Look at you... sitting up there next to the King pretending that you belong here... you are, and always will be, a fucking rogue Coda! I bet he doesn't even know what you did to his precious daughter down in those cells... tut, tut, tut you dirty liar..." He speaks cockily as I growl thunderously when hearing the lies pour venomously from his tongue.

I would NEVER abuse Maddison the way he abused the girls down in those cells.

"Coda contain yourself!" The King snaps, as I lean back in my chair, my hands now shaking from rage as I try to hold back my wolf.

"You are hearby sentenced to death for disrespecting the royals and for coming in to this room as cocky as you are. You are no more than a filthy rogue and I can see very clearly, that you don't deserve a place in this pack... Now get out of my fucking sight mut!" The King grumbles, waving his hand before the guards drag him off back out of the room as he thrashes and kicks against them- it being useless.

"Just for the record... I never hurt Maddison the way he says I did. I would never do that." I trail off, as the King nods once.

"I know." He states, catching me off guard with the fact that he believed me so easily. I figured he would have at least questioned me about it first.

Wow...

"I can spot a liar a mile off Coda... don't panic... he's not the first rogue that will come in here today and that will shoot you some insults but just know that I'm the one with the power to end them so don't let it faze you. You're wasting your energy fighting when I can just have my guards take them down to the cells for torture before they die." He smirks at his own authority which causes me to laugh.

"You sure do live up to that 'Ruthless King' reputation after all..." I state as he shrugs.

"Believe me... I was much worse than this until I met Leoni... I would have executed every last one of those rogues without second thought years ago... it's Leoni that taught me to at least give people a chance." He trails off, as I nod.

"It's a good balance that you've found." I agree as he nods again.

Just then the doors open for the third time, presenting to us another female as the trials continue...

This was going to take a while to say the least...