Blair POV
The thick silence following felt heavy with doubt and tension. Eyes were fixed on me, anticipation racing in the room as Jayce and Anabelle's expressions morphed from shock into uncontained anger. I could see their minds beginning to spin, knowing all too well their little act was about to fall out of the meticulously organized scheme.
"Blair," Jayce practically growled, stepping forward with utter ferocity in his eyes, reclaiming what little control he had left. "You really have no idea what you're doing. This is not your place."
I took another breath while I felt that current of strength flowing within me because of Angel. "You're wrong, Jayce. This is exactly my place. I will not sit by and let you and Anabelle lie to this pack and sweep everything I have fought for under the rug."
Anabelle mocked me with a sneer. "You really think anybody is going to believe you? You are nothing but a discarded Luna, a pathetic maid now, and you think you can disrupt our wedding??? How foolish."
Mururs had begun to surge throughout the crowd, each fading in both volume and importance. I could feel that the guests were straining with curiosity and disbelief, watching while a world collapsed in front of them. I decided I had better capitalize on the moment immediately. "You may think you have stripped me of my title, Anabelle, but you could never take my spirit. I stand here today not only as a maid but as a wolf who has lived in your tyranny for way too long."
Anxiously the guests shuffled, their whispers swelling in volume. I recognized some of the faces among the pack members, some laden with sympathy, others filled with intrigue. It was high time to lay bare the truth, to expose the betrayal that had ruined my life.
I continued, my voice strong. "Jayce and Anabelle have been feeding lies to all of you. They think they can go through with this humiliation of me without a thought. But I am here to tell you the truth. Jayce, you may have been my mate, but you never loved me, not in any real sense. You tossed me aside for your ego and are now attempting to deprive me of my own sister."
The crowd gasped, and with it came the thrill of adrenaline. No longer was I a broken wolf cast away. I was rising from the ashes to take back what belonged to me.
Jayce's expression turned ugly with anger. "You made a mistake, Blair. You talk rubbish. Anabelle and I love each other."
"Love?" I laughed cynically; my voice was raised above the murmur. "What? Betrayal? Deceit? And you think anyone can build a life on the ashes of someone else's broken dreams? You are two delusional souls."
Anabelle moved ahead, her fury now seeming more like desperation. "You're only here to destroy everything! You think you can rise again from the dead and take what's mine? You don't belong here!"
The waves were caressing my feet as I made one more step. "This isn't just about me. It's about every member of our pack who has groaned under your rule. You think by fear and manipulation you can control us, but I'm here to tell you we are stronger together."
The crowd was murmuring now, the tide turning, wondering about the information I had just imparted to them. Their energy could be felt as if the flame of hope was rising from their collective ashes. This was my moment to rally them into unity against an injustice that had imbued our lives for far too long.
"Just look around you!" I shouted, flicking my hands at the pack members who were gathered. "This isn't just my fight; it's our fight. We are the pawn in Jayce and Anabelle's game. Being a family, we shall take our pack back from the forces wishing to tear us apart."
From somewhere in the crowd but from the opposite side, there came a voice, and a face I recognized all too clearly. "She is right! We have suffered enough under Anabelle's cruelty! We must stand with Blair!"
The murmurs became louder, the voices supporting them becoming louder. I was caught in an avalanche of clashing feelings; the will and the fear together. The pack was beginning to see the truth, and I had to push on.
"Remember all those times when Anabelle belittled you, the times when Jayce used you for his gain? That was the past! We have been silenced for too long!" I shouted with palpable conviction. "No longer! We are taking back the pack, our dignity, and our strength!"
The air in the room shifted, and I knew that my allies were committed to see this through. They wanted justice; they wanted to return the favor for the lies that had been cast upon us. It was then that I felt the power of Angel within me more than ever, a burning warmth that compelled me into action.
Jayce was furious, his face reddened with rage. "You're making a mistake; Blair. You think you can turn everyone against us? They will pay for it. You will pay for it."
I held my ground with my heart racing while I did. "No, Jayce. The one who will regret underestimating the power of the pack is you. You have taken everything from me, but you will not take my voice. I will not be silenced any longer."
Anabelle felt her authority slipping and attempted to snatch back the lead. "You're a nobody! You'll never be Luna again! You're a broken wolf, and no one will stand with you!"
But the tide was turning. Slowly but surely, members of the pack began to step forward, ready to lend their support. "We believe in Blair!" Clara's shout rang with brave fierceness. "We'll no longer be controlled by you!"
The crowd erupted in support, a chorus of voices rising in unity against the betrayal they had witnessed. I could feel their strength, their determination, and it fueled me further.
"Together, we will expose the truth!" I declared, my voice ringing out with conviction. "We will show Jayce and Anabelle that our pack is built on love and loyalty, not deceit and manipulation. We are stronger together, and we will not back down!"
As the crowd rallied behind me, I felt a surge of hope swell in my chest. The battle was far from over, but I was no longer alone. We would fight for our future, for our pack, and for justice.
The chapter ends with a sense of renewed purpose and the promise of a fierce battle ahead. I was ready to reclaim my life and confront the darkness that had threatened to consume me. The fight for my pack—and for myself—had only just begun.