Chapter 9 - The Reckoning at the Council
Though Grace was crowned Queen, one final piece of business remained. The corrupt council of Pine Hollow stood trial in the grand throne room, stripped of their wealth and power. Richard Voss and Morgran knelt in chains before the double thrones of the Alpha King and the White Wolf Queen.
Alexander sat upon his obsidian throne, his expression carved from stone. Beside him sat Grace, radiant in her royal regalia, her five dire wolf guardians resting regally at the base of the dais.
"You built your power on lies, cruelty, and the abandonment of the vulnerable," Alexander stated, his voice cold and devoid of mercy. "You thought an omega was a disposable tool. Instead, she proved to be your undoing."
"Mercy, Your Majesty!" Richard Voss wept, pressing his forehead against the cold stone floor.
Grace leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "You asked for mercy when you left freezing pups and starving children to die in the snow. You found none then, and you shall find none now."
She raised her hand, and the royal executioners stepped forward.
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"Pine Hollow is hereby dissolved," Grace declared. "Its lands are placed under direct crown protection, and its people shall be governed with fairness, warmth, and shelter for all."
As the disgraced councilmen were led away to permanent exile beyond the northern borders, an overwhelming sense of peace settled over the great hall.
