"Yeah, it sounds implausible but when everything else is considered, nothing else makes sense!" Talon replied when he saw Zane shake his head to show how unwilling he was to accept such an idea.
Razon could also no longer keep quiet.
"If somehow Joe is behind it then you have to reject her. It's only a partial rejection and you both can still become mates," Razon said trying to convince his son.
"Joe is dangerous. I know him well enough to know that there are no lengths he's not willing to go to get what he wants,"
"I agree with your father. If you stubbornly go ahead with the ceremony who knows what he'll do to Tahra to remove her as Luna!"
"We can talk about the way forward after. Moreover, I'm sure Tahra would understand," Talon pointed out knowing that as long as Zane explained things properly everything would be fine.
Zane was still a little unconvinced but he somewhat understood the situation they were in but that was until Razon his father, said something that completely deviated from his thoughts.
"Truthfully, I think you also have to send her away!"
"WHAT!"
"Hear me out first!" Razon hurriedly said the second it became obvious that Zane was seconds away from exploding in anger.
"You've seen the corpses that accompanied the pictures I sent you. Whosoever doesn't want Tahra as Luna doesn't want you as Alpha!"
"Nothing is stopping them from silencing Tahra forever and removing her from the way!"
"Joe would never do that to his daughter!" Zane pointed out not at all likely the path his father was taking the conversation to.
"No! But your brother would! Zahra's death would affect you and we both know it which was why you mostly kept your relationship secret but now it's out in the open!"
Zane didn't like what his father said, but the longer he listened, and realized that it was the truth.
"I won't send her out Father! There's nothing you can say that would make me do that! I can protect her myself!" Zane told him, turning to walk away before he could hear the rest of whatever his father wanted to say.
Zane also ignored Talon and instead walked back to where the rest of the council members stood waiting.
"I'll reject her and the ceremony will be postponed!" Zane declared, walking past them the second he was done and walking back towards the circle of Pack members that were still waiting.
Annoyed to see people crowded in front of the laptop watching it, she saw Tahra who stood farthest away from them with red puffy eyes that showed that she had been crying.
There was nothing he would have liked more than to send a reassuring gaze her way but he couldn't and all he could do as he entered their midst with the council members behind him was to put a blank expression on his face.
"Tahra!" Zane heard his father call her out and his heart internally broke as he watched her barely remain upright as she slowly walked forward towards them until she stood barely two steps away from them.
Gritting his teeth together and balling his fists by his sides, Zane began to speak.
"Due to the evidence discovered, the ceremony for the initiation of the Luna had been postponed," He said taking a deep breath before turning to stare into Tahra's eyes as he spoke.
"Also, I Zane Hollen reject you, Tahra Faldel as my make!" Gritting his jaw tight as he felt the connection he had always felt between them be severed.
Watching with deep pain as he saw Tahra's knees give way, falling to her knees as tears flowed freely down her face.
All Zane wanted to do was end the ceremony and carry her out of there to explain but the chaos wasn't over.
He was barely done speaking when suddenly most people instantly began to clamor for Tahra's punishment almost like the fact that Zane rejected her was already enough evidence to show her guilt.
"How dare she toy with our Alpha!!! She needs to be punished."
"Send her away!!!! BANISH HER!!!!"
"The cheat!!! She deserves the worst!!"
"I can't believe she would dare to do such a thing a day to her initiation as Luna!!! How shameless!"
The shouts and clamoring only got worse as time withered past, even as Zane continued to ignore them about to end the ceremony in its entirety.
But that was before Xion, Zane's brother made it much worse by speaking.
"Or Maybe our Alpha doesn't see it as a betrayal! If she still has this much hold on him what could we possibly do?" Xion raised his voice to say and it was all it took before the people went completely bonkers.
"Banish her!!!! Such disrespect for the Alpha is a disrespect to us!" They shouted one after the other.
The shouts only got much louder until Razon could no longer keep quiet as he stood behind Zane.
"You need to Banish her for a while! Just until we find out and expose the people behind it!" Razon advised.
Amongst the councilmen and women, the Alpha's words were Law but among the people, the fact that he had just been made Alpha and was refusing to listen to their plea was a big issue.
Zane was stronger but without a Pack that loved him as much as they respected him, it would only end up hurting everyone in the long run.
"I agree! It could be less than a month and then you'll bring her back. Moreover, you'll explain everything to her the second the ceremony is dismissed," Talon whispered behind Zane trying to advise him to do the best thing that would benefit the pack.
Putting his duty to the pack above that of the feelings of love he felt towards Tahra.
"Banish her and do it now! If not, Xion could see this as an opportunity to rebel. Your supporters aren't as much as his!!" Talon whispered heavily in his ears in a voice laced full with concern.
The main reason Zane had been able to become Alpha regardless of his cold and closed-up attitude was because of his father and his strength as number 1 in the duel rankings which spoke volumes.
Xion on the other hand wasn't as strong but somehow he was well loved considering how he spent most of his money on favors trying to buy people's support instead of using it for the betterment of the pack.
"You'll fix it later! But you won't be able to if things get much worse!" Razon also advised from behind not wanting Zane to put his position as Alpha of the Z territory on the line.
Zane quietly listened to the voices behind him and that of the ones coming from the crowd in front of him.
Finally, he came to a staunch decision.