Chapter 488: A Sentence Written in Blood and Snow

Chapter 487: A Sentence Written in Blood and Snow

Orion stood facing the crowd. Everyone was silent as they gazed at him.

He wanted every single person standing before him to feel the weight of what had just been said. To feel the absence of excuses. To feel the space where denial had tried—and failed—to exist.

He lowered his gaze slowly from the far edges of the square back to the center.

Holly stood on the platform, her shoulders still shaking beneath the restraints. The gag muffled the broken sounds she could not stop making.

Orion’s voice carried again.

"You have heard everything that was said here today."

He turned deliberately to the pack members.

His eyes swept across the rows of faces. Men and women who had fought beside each other. Who had bled together. Who had buried their dead together.

"I am very certain you are all capable of judging for yourselves."

Snow fell softly as he spoke.

"Every word Holly uttered here today was a lie," Orion said calmly.

"And not once—" he continued, his voice sharpening slightly, "—not once did she answer the questions I asked her directly."

A ripple moved through the gathered pack members.

Orion stepped forward a little.

"Our pack was not built on blood alone."

He placed a hand over his chest.

"It was built on trust."

He let the word settle.

"On bonds."

Another pause.

"On standing together when the world made it clear it would rather see us destroyed."

His jaw tightened.

"Especially after what we suffered at the hands of the enclave. We made a vow when we settled here to always watch over each other. We may argue or fight each other, but we will not try to take the lives of the people who are our family."

"We survived because we protected each other."

His gaze turned harder.

"We survived because even after our own turned on us, we vowed not to let it happen again."

The words cut deeper than shouting ever could.

"We are supposed to be each other’s shelter."

He gestured broadly to the square.

"To be each other’s defense."

"To be each other’s warning and restraint."

His eyes found several younger members in the crowd.

"This—" he said quietly, indicating Holly without even looking at her, "—is not what a pack looks like."

The silence pressed in.

"This is a reminder to everyone gathered here today. If you have an issue with another member of this pack, then resolve it amicably. Speak to each other, argue, gossip, confront each other, or even fight each other if it warrants."

He paused, then shook his head.

"Although before it gets to that, you have the elders. I hate paperwork, but that does not mean I’ll neglect you all. It does not mean me or the elders wouldn’t do everything in our power to ensure that discord between members is settled—and amicably at that."

His voice hardened as he spoke. "Never should anyone turn their resentment into a weapon. Anyone who attempts to murder a member of this pack and is found guilty will face the law."

Then his gaze turned to Holly. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"And Holly did not only attempt to kill a pack member. She attempted to kill my mate."

"That," he said quietly, "is the highest crime one can commit in a pack."

Holly made a broken, panicked sound behind the gag.

Her knees buckled slightly.

The guard behind her steadied her roughly.

Orion did not flinch nor blink an eye at her display.

"Every one of you knows the punishment for attempting to kill a pack member,"

he said as he faced the crowd once more.

"But," he continued, "given the fact that Holly was once something akin to an upright member of this pack... she will be exiled into the heart of Nirvana."

"A place where she will face the beasts of Nirvana alone, without help from anyone," he told them.

He doubted anyone would even be able to help her. The heart of Nirvana was a dangerous place, after all.

Holly’s body jerked violently.

A muffled, strangled scream tore from her throat against the gag.

Her knees gave out fully this time, but the restraints caught her before she hit the ground.

The guards hauled her upright again.

She thrashed weakly, panic ripping through her small, restrained movements.

Orion continued as though she were not making a sound at all.

"I and Brynhild will personally ensure that she is delivered to the location of her punishment."

His eyes cut briefly toward Brynhild.

She stood immovable below the platform and nodded with a small smirk.

"And let this stand as a reminder to every single member of this pack."

The square felt small beneath Orion’s words.

"If you attempt to murder one of our own—"

A pause.

"—you will be treated accordingly."

Holly sagged in the restraints. Her sobs turned thin and ragged.

Orion almost laughed at how much Holly was crying. Her punishment had only just begun and she was already crying. Pathetic.

"If anyone present believes this judgement is unjust..."

His gaze moved slowly across every face.

"...then speak now."

The wind whispered through the square.

Snow continued to fall, but no one moved forward. No one spoke.

Orion waited.

Then he nodded once when no one moved forward.

"Court is dismissed."

The tension shattered quietly.

Pack members began to move.

Small clusters turned away, shaking their heads in disappointment.

Low murmurs followed them as they left the square. Almost everyone was disappointed in what Holly had done.

The elders began to climb the platform.

Mary approached Orion first.

"We will begin clearing out Holly’s residence immediately," she said.

Orion nodded once.

Daniel stepped forward next.

He glanced briefly at Brynhild.

Then at Orion.

"It’s almost nightfall," he said quietly. "The beasts are more reckless at night."

His eyes hardened with concern.

"You two are the strongest fighters this pack has," Daniel continued. "But that does not mean you should treat your lives as expendable."

Orion inclined his head.

Brynhild did the same.

"Be safe. I don’t know how you think you can make it to the heart of Nirvana and be back before nightfall, but then..." Daniel shook his head, then sighed. "Be safe."

Orion and Brynhild nodded.

Madam Tyler approached more hesitantly.

Her hands were clasped in front of her.

"I’m... glad you’re not killing her," she said softly to Orion.

Orion looked at her.

For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed his eyes.

He offered her a small smile. It was faint, but Madam Tyler seemed to take it as agreement.

Orion said nothing.

He turned away.

That was when he noticed Sophia.

She stood just at the foot of the platform.

Cat was beside her.

Laia stood on her other side.

All three of them were watching him.

Orion excused himself without another word to the elders.

He moved to the edge of the platform.

And jumped down.

The sound of his boots hitting the snow-covered ground drew their attention immediately.

Sophia straightened slightly when he approached.

Up close, he could see how pale she looked. She was cold.

Snow clung to her hair. To her lashes. To the edge of her sleeves.

Orion did not hesitate.

He reached up and unclasped his cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

The heavy fabric swallowed her smaller frame.

Sophia inhaled sharply.

Her hands rose automatically to grip it closed.

Cat and Laia exchanged a brief glance.

And, without needing to be asked, they stepped away, giving them space.

Orion’s eyes searched Sophia’s face.

"I know you’re leaving the pack right now," she said softly.

Orion nodded.