Chapter 1008
“That’s nonsense!” Sophia hissed. “Even without our positions, we are still Alphas. How can you ask pack members to attack us? Do you expect us to sit and do nothing p>
“No one said you can’t defend yourself,” Talia said. “The strongest ones rule, and everyone depends on their abilities. Without your abilities, you are just an Alpha. Without your pack’s support, you are a weak Alpha. I wonder how things would turn out if you faced someone with abilities p>
Talia looked at the people surrounding them. “Do you think this is cruel? Sophia gave me away after her brother asked her to take care of me, and Isaac enabled her. If they abandoned their own family, do you think they would spare yours? These two already showed that they don’t care about you. They kept the whole pack imprisoned, knowing you were suffering. Sophia can say it was not a big deal because her mate was by her side. They claim it was for the best of the pack, and I’m calling out their hypocrisy p>
“Sophia doesn’t know what you are talking about,” Valerian said to Talia. “Living without a mate is worse than dying. Your soul cries for its other half, and there is nothing you can do about it. You move, talk, eat, and force yourself to smile. Every morning you are disappointed that death didn’t welcome you because you would do anything to end the agony p>
Talia’s heart ached for her father, and she was grateful for Damon’s hold tightening around her.
Talia shared Liseli’s emotions which gave her first-hand experience of living without a mate. The idea of living apart from Damon was heartbreaking, and Damon’s solid embrace provided comfort.
Sapa gave Damon a glimpse of many lifetimes without a mate, and Damon knew that Valerian was not exaggerating.
And it was not just Damon and Talia; all mated couples were holding each other tightly while unmated ones felt the longing for their other half they were yet to meet.
Valerian spoke to Sophia and Isaac. “What the two of you did was killing the pack. Slowly torturing them until they lost their will to live. For that, you will need to make amends with every pack member p>
“You were not there!” Sophia said.
“I wasn’t. That’s why it doesn’t apply to me. But I will punish you for what you did to my daughter and me p>
“What?” Isaac asked weakly.
“I entrusted you with Natalia’s safety when she was barely a few months old. I left her thinking she was safe with family, yet you discarded her because you saw her as someone who would jeopardize your position. Giving her away was an act against the rightful Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. That was treason against the family and the pack. For that…” Valerian narrowed his eyes. “I will take away your spirits p>
Sophia and Isaac stared at Valerian while wondering if he was serious. How could he take away spirits? Wasn’t that taking away their wolves? That’s murder while letting them stay alive!
“You said she was the culprit, and I was…” Isaac’s voice trailed when he saw Sophia glaring at him.
“You are right,” Valerian said to Isaac. “Sophia was responsible, but you were right by her side, watching it unfold. You could have stopped it, but you let it happen. For that, you are guilty of acting against a direct descendent of the Moonrider family, the future Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. The penalty should be death or life in the dungeon, but I won’t stoop to your level. When I’m done, you will be able to walk away with your lives p>
Without any warning, Sophia and Isaac fell to their knees. Every cell in their bodies screamed in agonizing pain as part of their essence was extracted, making them feel like their flesh was slowly peeled off.
Talia looked at her father to see that his eyes were glowing in silvery light, and she could recognize the energies that belonged to the Guardians. Pulses of wind that spread from Valerian carried Astraea’s essence. Talia remembered that Valerian said her mother used her energy to protect him, which worked years later whenever Guardians tried to harm him. Was he using that energy now? It looked like it.
‘Lis, we need to help him p>
‘How p>
‘He is using the last thing my mother left behind. That energy is not his, so he won’t be able to recover it p>
‘Maybe that’s for the best. Without traces of Astraea, there is a chance he could move on p>
‘Nonsense!’ Talia responded angrily. ‘Could you move on without Sapa? Would you move on if you had a choice p>
Liseli didn’t respond, but Talia felt that her wolf regretted her words. Liseli loved Sapa more than life itself, just as Talia loved Damon. Would she want to move on if Sapa was dead? She was waiting and hoping for centuries, and even if it were ten times longer, she wouldn’t give up on the hope that they would reunite; if not in this life, then in the next one.
Talia got out of Damon’s embrace and walked toward Valerian.
Valerian didn’t move a muscle when Talia’s hand landed on his shoulder, and the warmth spread from their point of contact to the rest of Valerian’s body.
Talia felt Damon’s hand holding hers.
‘Don’t stop me, Damon,’ Talia spoke to him through the mind link.
‘I am not stopping you, kitten. I am offering you my energy so you can keep yours for our pup p>
Talia wanted to say how she had plenty of energy to spare, but she knew that Damon wanted to support her, and she let him have it.
‘Thank you, Damon p>
It lasted less than a minute. When it was over, Sophia and Isaac were lying on the ground and crying as their limbs twitched. It was a pitiful sight.
Valerian released a long breath and looked up into the sky speckled with numerous stars. Was Astraea watching him? It was almost like he could feel her presence. Or was that because Talia channeled her energy through him? She was so much like her mother that it brought him to tears. He missed his mate to the point of madness.
Talia noticed that Valerian was lost in his thoughts, and she focused on Sophia and Isaac who were struggling to breathe.
Talia wanted to leave Sophia and Isaac alone, she really did. For Axel’s sake. However, with them not showing remorse after all this time, Talia realized that keeping them around would give them a chance to cause more harm.
Talia and Damon didn’t figure out if Sophia and Isaac had anything to do with Yasmin and the twins ending up in the hands of the Guardians, but that would only add to their existing crimes and not change the outcome.
“Sophia and Isaac of the Midnight Guardians pack,” Talia spoke in an official tone while releasing some of her Alpha aura. “For the crimes you committed against my pack, I, Alpha Natalia Moonrider, banish you from the Midnight Guardians pack p>
Sophia and Isaac didn’t have their wolves, which meant they didn’t have the pack link either, but Talia wanted everyone to know about them being unwelcome.
Talia spoke to the pack members gathered. “You heard what happened. If you want to know more, the pack Oracle can tell you about it. I will leave it up to you to decide if this was enough to punish them for what they did. They are no more than humans now. If you want to maintain contact with Sophia and Isaac, you won’t be persecuted. However, they are outsiders and are not welcome into the territory of the Midnight Guardians pack p>
“I will join my mate and declare that Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the territory of the Dark Howlers pack,” Damon said. He wanted to punish them for acting against him, but they were just humans, and there was nothing left to take from them. Killing them would do them a favor. He wanted them to suffer.
Tony stepped forward from the crowd. “I will use this opportunity to announce that Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the territory of the Lightclaw pack. People who don’t care about their family won’t care about their allies either p>
“The Blue River pack is joining in branding Sophia and Isaac as unwelcome,” Maddox said from the side.
Cristian was also there. “Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the Spring Leaf pack. If caught near the border, they will be treated as hostile p>
Talia didn’t realize when Maddox, Tony, and Cristian came here. Now that she paid attention, she realized that the audience had swelled significantly.
Talia was touched that Tatiana, Kalina, and Michelle stood by their mates, silently supporting their decision.
Talia’s eyes fell on Axel, whose head was lowered. Yasmin was standing by Axel with her arms around him. Evanora and Edgar were there also, holding the twins, who were sleeping peacefully, totally unaware of the commotion.
Talia walked to Axel and Yasmin. “I am sorry, Axel. I know they were good parents to you. If you want to provide for them, you are welcome to do so, but not in my territory. As my proxy, this is the only thing you cannot override p>
“Do I deserve that position?” Axel asked.
“You do,” Talia assured him. “Not because of your bloodline, but because you showed me that you care for our pack and for what we are trying to accomplish here. The sins of parents shouldn’t be transferred to their children. Everyone has the right to their fate. You are a capable Alpha, and I am honored to call you my friend. You shouldn’t carry the weight of what your parents did, but you can continue fixing the damage they caused by taking care of the Midnight Guardians pack. That’s what an Alpha would do p>
Axel looked at Talia gratefully. “I vow to do my best for our pack p>
Talia smiled and gave him a brief hug with, “I know you will p>
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