Chapter 150: The Verdict of the Traitors
The three warriors—Leon, Marcus, and young Elias—stood trembling by the old well. The light of the "First Dawn" from the Omega's spear reflected off the traces of blue crystal dust on their faces, making their betrayal undeniable. The rest of the pack stood in a stunned, heavy silence; they could not believe their own brothers had conspired with the enemy.
"Did you truly believe that by making a pact with the darkness, you could save this pack?" the Alpha's voice was as cold as ice, yet burning with a dangerous intensity.
"We only wanted peace, Alpha!" Leon cried out, his voice cracking. "We are exhausted! The endless fighting and death... we couldn't take it anymore. The Arbiters promised us immortality..."
"It was never immortality; it was eternal servitude," the Omega said, stepping forward. Her eyes glowed like dying embers. "The blue crystals you hid here were beacons. If we hadn't found them tonight, the cost of your 'immortality' would have been the blood of every soul in this pack."
The Alpha did not draw his sword. He knew that at this moment, unity was more powerful than execution. "I will not grant you the mercy of a quick death," he declared, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "I sentence you to exile. Go to the High Throne you trust so much. But remember, when you finally see their true face, the gates of this pack will be closed to you forever."
As the three traitors were cast out into the dark, a massive shadow loomed over the Forbidden Woods. The iron fortress of the High Throne was now rising above the treeline, its cold spikes piercing the moonlight. The war was no longer approaching; it had arrived at their very doorstep.