Last time on Blind Hope

The High Elder continued, "The charges are as follows: child endangerment, unlawful use of authority, murder, and..." he paused, looking up at Dorian who had presented the charges, "hiding procreation?"

"Still not a crime." Victoria whispered. Bruce shook his head at her. They were in over there heads; no need to make it worse.

~~~~~~~~~~

Victoria squeezed Bruce's hand and looked around for Drake. She couldn't sense him in the room. Gramm was there, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. Bruce tried looking at Emily, but she stared at the ground, as if trying not to cry. The High Elder cleared this throat.

"We are calling the first witness to the stand. Lunar Drake of the Heart Pack." His eyes scanned the room, but no one stood up. Whispers went around the room as no one stepped up. "Lunar Drake!" Victoria squeezed her eyes closed, her voice breaking.

"He's not here." The High Elder frowned.

"Very well. We call Luna Emily to the stand." Emily slowly approached the chair just beside the Elder. He made her place her hand on the lawbook of the Council. "Do you swear to tell the truth to the best of your ability? And admit when you do not know an answer?"

"Yes," she sighed, finally looking over at her mate, "I swear." The Elder nodded, and a member of the Investigation part of the Council stepped forward, acting as lawyer.

"Luna, it is true that you are acting Alpha as of now?"

"Yes. My eldest is still in training."

"I see. What lead to this sudden change?" Emily's jaw clenched, but she knew that the Councilman was simply trying to hear the story from her side.

"Well, it's a confusing story... I'm not sure where to start..." She winced. "I suppose it all goes back nearly a month ago." Dorian's eyes raised, having only known the story as Hope told it - from the day her parents tried to send her out of their packs. "There was an attack, you see..."

~~~~~~~~~

"Kennedy!" Emily shouted up the stairs. "IF YOU JUMP OFF THE BED JUST ONE MORE TIME-" Emily grumbled under breath and went back to stirring the pancake batter. It took an army of food to feed a normal werewolf family. It took a world of food to fill a household of twelve, AND the Beta's normally ate breakfast with them. The female Beta simply could not cook to save her life. Emily prepared a meal to feed fifteen, but the children were all acting as if they had downed giant pixie-sticks. "Larry! Callie!" Emily hollered out. "Contain your siblings!" Brian stumbled into the kitchen and pointed at the door.

"Wolf."

"Yes, sweetie. We're all wolves." He sucked his thumb, making large slurping noises. Emily rolled her eyes and looked over at him. He was quaking in fear. "Brian? It's okay. Mommy is here." She picked him up, and caught the terrible, horrifying smell of rogue. "LARRY, GET THE KIDS TO SHELTER, ASAP!" She practically threw Brian into Callie's passing arms. "Shelter. Now. No questions!" Callie took off running, and Emily sent a quick prayer to Selene.

Bruce, there are rogues nearby.

We're working on it!

Couldn't have given me a warning!?

Just stay with the kids!

They almost got Brian!

WHAT!?

He smelled like a rogue! They're surrounding the house! I'm engaging!

Be safe. I can't lose you!

Emily smiled into the link and charged out of the house. Her wolf snarled, knowing her children were inside. She tore into any rogues that even dared step near the house, and soon warriors came running to help defend their Alpha family.

"Luna! Are you hurt? What of the children?"

"We're all fine. What's happening here!?" The rogues were easily pushed back, and Emily took large breaths, regaining her energy. "That seemed too random." She shifted back into a human.

"We don't know, Luna." They looked around, sniffing and checking for any more signs of rogues. Bruce came running up and shifted at the last minute, tackling Emily in his human form.

"ARE YOU OKAY!?" Emily giggled, pushing him off of her. "What was this about? What did you do?"

"What? Why is it always my fault?" Emily gave him a side glare, and he huffed. "That was one time..." He scratched the back of his head, truly perplexed and seemingly bothered. "I don't know why they attacked. We'll have to look into it." This eyes were hazy, and his hands clenched at his side. Emily knew he was hiding something, but also that he would reveal it when the time came. She rubbed his arm. "Oh my gosh! The children!" Emily laughed, falling back on the grass.

"We're all fine, dear."

~~~~~~~~~~

The Councilman nodded. "I see. And what does this attack have to do with the charges pressed against your mate?"

"I'm getting there!" Emily snapped, a slight growl coming out. The Councilman held up his hands in resignations.

"My apologies. Continue."

"It was sometime after that when I noticed his behavior changing rapidly..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Bruce paced agitatedly in his office, not taking any visitors - no family, no Betas, no advisors or elders. The ran his fingers through his hair and glared at the door as Emily walked inside carrying a cup of coffee. "What's wrong?" She watched him, as wracked with emotion as he looked. Her voice broke, "You haven't even been sleeping with me since the attack. We had ten child-"

"It's not you." He slammed his fist into the desk and splintered. "It's not you, woman!" He growled at the wall and clenched his bleeding fist. Emily went silent, not wanting to leave, but not wanting to stay either. "I... I can't tell you. Just know that I'm doing this for us."

"What are you doing? We handle this pack together!"

"This isn't a pack issue!"

"What are we talking about!?" Bruce pointed at the door, tears finally falling.

"Leave me!" Emily stormed from the office, hastily wiping tears as she jogged down the steps. It would do no good for the children to see her cry.

~~~~~~~~~

"And did you find the cause of his agitation?" The Councilman seemed deeply intrigued by the story. He quickly became disheartened, however, when Emily shook her head.

"I've looked into it, but there are no documents or notes in his office about anything that could have caused that response." He hummed.

"I see... Was this around the time he travelled to the Kindred Pack to see his eldest daughter, Queen Hope?" Emily nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Emily," Bruce walked down the stairs calmly and smiled as his whole family sat around the large dinning room table, waiting for him. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Their eyes met. "I trust you." Her eyes seemed to be pleading something different, however. Don't break the trust you took so long to build.

"Thank you, love." They had sat down and had a family dinner for the first time in a very long time. Afterwards, Bruce carried Emily through their bedroom door as if it was their mating night. Emily had giggled like a schoolgirl, but there had been a heaviness in Bruce's eyes that silenced her joy.

"What is it? I can't stand to see you suffer."

"We need to go to Victoria's pack." Emily had never been turned off so fast.

"Excuse me?" Jealously and rage flashed through her eyes, but if it helped Bruce, she would do anything. Anything - even take a night of pain as she felt him inside another. "Fine. I'll pack in the morning. Please, no more than a week." Bruce leaned down and kissed her nose.

"Please, stay with me." It was barely above a whisper, and Emily felt her heart breaking. "You won't understand. No one will. Stay with me." The two fell asleep clasped in each other's arms. Nothing more, nothing less.

A few days later, they landed in the Kindred Pack and settled into the house especially built for them and their large family. Bruce had instantly set off to find Victoria, and Emily didn't see him until that evening when he came home while she was speaking with Hope.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I see." The Councilman nodded. "This sheds a unique light on the situation. So Bruce was very much aware of what was to transpire before it happened?"

"I-I don't think he knew all of it... Maybe just the sending Hope away?"

"But that's speculation." Terror struck through Emily's heart at the thought of her words being used against Bruce.

"NO!" She jumped up from her seat. "I- I..." she looked at Bruce and tears fell. "I'll trust him. There's something going on. I trust him. Please... Please... trust him..."

"Thank you, Luna Emily. Please retire to your seat." Larry instantly went to his mother's side, helping her to find her seat through her tears. "We'll pick up where we left off. Would Queen Hope please join us on the stand."

~~~~~~~~~~