Chapter 328: _ Evidence
They’d see me as a threat or not at all. That was the rule. Especially today.
I had Axel at my side, the last two witnesses alive behind me, and three weeks’ worth of exhaustion curled behind my ribs like a second spine. This was it—the final hearing. The last swing of the gavel. And if the Goddess had a shred of mercy left in her, the day this house of rot began to crumble.
Carmen stood near the chamber doors, arms folded, jaw tight. She caught my gaze and gave a small nod. Lila stood farther down, near the shadows, her hand resting on Fernando’s shoulder. Silvia stood beside him, her face pale but her chin was lifted.
The witnesses were here. That alone was a miracle.
"María José Montenegro," came Councilman Esteban’s voice.
It was loud and sharp,, and already filled with disdain. "This is your final opportunity to plead your case. Keep it concise."
He always spoke like we were inconveniencing him by existing.
I stepped forward, heart steady, spine straight. "I’m not here to plead. I’m here to reveal."
Esteban scoffed, leaning back in his chair like I’d just told him his wine had gone bad.
"I stand before you not as a Luna-in-waiting, not as the daughter of Don Diego, and certainly not as a grieving sister." I let my voice slice through the room. "I stand here as a pack member—one who’s watched the leadership in this room sell our legacy for power. You’ve dressed up your deals in ceremony, cloaked your crimes in tradition. But underneath? It’s all rot."
Whispers stirred along the gallery benches. The lower-ranking wolves; servants, guards... listening.
Esteban tapped his gavel once. "Accusations without proof mean nothing, Señora."
"Oh, I brought proof," I said, flipping open the file. "And not the kind that hides behind closed doors and secret handshakes."
I held up the first page. "Let’s start with the binding spells."
That got them. A visible swell of discomfort passed down the table.
"Yes. Binding spells. Ancient ones. Ones that only witches of the Hollowed Coven know how to cast, and which require blood sacrifices."
I walked slowly as I spoke, letting the weight of my words settle. "The council’s dealings with these witches have cost us far more than we know. It’s why border wolves lose their senses in combat. Why our fertility rates are dropping. Why young wolves in certain districts no longer shift until their mid-twenties."
The Alpha narrowed his gaze. The Delta sat straighter.
"You’ve allowed witches into our sacred lands in exchange for protection sigils, for youth charms, for influence. You’ve tampered with the balance, and our people are paying the price."
Esteban was already red-faced. "You’re speaking of unprovable curses. Folk myths."
I raised my voice slightly. "Then let’s talk about Rosa."
That brought about silence.
"Rosa De La Vega was groomed by the elders of this council when she was sixteen. Because you thought she could be useful. Because she was smart, bold, and ambitious. You thought she wanted to be Luna. And you wanted to shape her into one you could control."
My voice shook, but it was not from weakness. It was from fury. Furious that this cost me and Camilla our mother, and Don Diego, his wife.
Furious that despite how evil she was, Rosa was still my elder sister, and things could have turned out better for us had these elders not disrupted her journey.
However, now wasn’t the time for sentiments. I cleared my throat and proceeded.
"You promised Rosa leadership. And when it was discovered that she didn’t have a wolf? You connected her with the witches you allied with. Which was where she met her lover, and led to the series of events that followed."
I sniffed for what I was about to utter, which weighed heavily on my heart. "Like the death of my mother."
I slammed the journal onto the table. Rosa’s diary.
"Her fall into darkness started in this room. And none of you will admit it because that would mean admitting your part in her corruption."
Álvaro’s smile didn’t budge, but he did lean forward slightly, as if finally interested.
"Read it," I said. "Her handwriting. Her memories. Her pain. You didn’t create a monster—you abandoned a girl you broke."
Axel stepped beside me now, arms crossed. "And now you have the audacity to call yourselves protectors of this pack. I’ve got witnesses on standby."
I gestured for Fernando and Silvia and they stepped forward. Fernando’s voice wavered at first when he tried to speak, but then steadied.
"I worked in the council archives. I was told to bury evidence of visits from the Hollowed Coven. I wasn’t given reasons—just commands. I made copies."
Silvia lifted her chin. "I cleaned the council’s east wing. I found bones that don’t belong to animals behind the warded pantry. I didn’t speak... until now."
The Delta’s brows rose. The Alpha didn’t move.
Esteban snapped, "This is hearsay from disgruntled staff."
"Then cross-examine them," I snapped back. "You’re fond of protocol, aren’t you?"
There were more murmurs. Álvaro finally rose, pacing.
"This is emotional manipulation, María José. You’re using your sister’s story to gain sympathy." He accused.
I stood my ground. "No, I’m using the truth to burn down these old men’s lies."
Axel’s hand brushed mine, steadying me.
"If any of you still think this is just about me being emotional or dramatic or feminine, then congratulations. You’ve missed the entire damn point." I spat, a finger jabbing at the air.
And then, I pulled one last sheet from the file.
"This is a contract between Councilman Rafael and the Hollowed Coven. Signed in blood. Dated two moons before my mother’s murder."
The gaps were audible this time.
"I had it examined by our pack’s oldest wardsmith. Verified. Stamped. Sealed."
I looked directly at the filthy elder.
"And the buyer of the enchanted territory was stolen from those exchanges? Rafaele De Luca. Your name’s on the deed."
The silence was absolute. Even Esteban stopped breathing.
"I’m not asking for applause. I’m not even asking for trust. I’m demanding reckoning. The pack deserves to know what has been done in their name. And I won’t rest until they do." I finished in the firmest voice I’d ever assumed.