Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 58

The council’s cars are gone, but the scent of them lingers – judgment. The packhouse feels different now; not just tense but alive, like a den of wolves circling before a fight.

I sit at the edge of the bed in Asher’s room, fingers tangled in the quilt, staring at the scars on my arms. The raw marks from Spencer’s claws gleam faintly in the soft moonlight filtering through the window. Their questions echo in my head. My mother’s cruel smile. My father’s sneer. Rhys’s unreadable eyes. Every syllable of accusation still hangs heavy in the room, as if the walls themselves had absorbed the council’s scrutiny and were now replaying it.

Asher closes the door softly behind him. He’s shed his shirt, damp from training in the gym. His wolf is close, golden light flickering in his gaze. The tension radiating from him hums through the room, making my own wolf stir, restless and sharp.

“They’re gone.” He says. “For now.”

“For now.” I echo. My voice is steady, but inside I’m a storm. “They’ll be back.”

Asher crosses to me, kneeling so we’re eye to eye. His hands rest lightly on my knees, grounding me. “Then we’ll be ready.”

“They don’t believe me, Asher. I saw it.” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

His jaw flexes. “Then we give them something they can’t ignore.”

I shake my head. “The girls… I can’t drag them into this.”

He cups my face, thumb brushing my cheek, warm and steady. “Trinity, Spencer didn’t just hurt you. He hurt them too. If the council thinks you’re lying, their voices could be the proof you need.”

I swallow hard, a lump forming in my throat. “I promised them they’d never have to face him again.”

“You’re not asking them to face him.” Asher says softly. “You’re asking them to help free you. And them. They’re still living under his shadow.”

I look past him, out the window at the moon hanging low over the pines. Its silver light dances over the forest like a warning. My wolf lifts her head inside me, restless. She doesn’t like hiding. She doesn’t like waiting for a verdict handed down by strangers who don’t know

our pain.

—

Below us, voices rise Dennis issuing orders, Petra calling pack members. The whole house feels like it’s drawing a breath before a howl.

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“Dennis is rallying the pack.” Asher murmurs. “He won’t let them drag you away without a fight.”

“They’ll say he’s interfering. Besides, most of the pack hates me or they don’t know me.”

“He’s protecting his pack. And they don’t hate you.” Asher growls.

A knock comes at the door. Gage pokes his head in, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. “Dad wants you downstairs. Now.”

I stand, smoothing my palms on my jeans, my heart hammering in my chest. “What’s happening?”

Gage glances between us, excitement and fear mingling in his scent. “Someone just arrived. Says she knows you. Says she can prove everything.”

My heart stops. “Who?”

“She wouldn’t give her name,” Gage says. “Just said you saved her. Said it’s time she saved you.”

I exchange a look with Asher. His eyes flash gold, low and protective.

“She came here?” I whisper.

“She came here.” Gage says. “And she’s not alone.”

A tremor of anticipation snakes through me, pulling my wolf taut. I’ve seen the shadows of Spencer’s actions, the fear he left behind in the girls he controlled. The thought that one of them had risked coming here, unprotected, for me… it’s almost too much to process.

Asher steps closer, resting a hand lightly on my back. “Whatever happens, you’re not facing

this alone.”

I nod, trying to calm the tremor in my hands. I can’t run. I won’t.

We descend the stairs together, the polished wood of the banister cool beneath my palms. Each step thuds in rhythm with my pulse. The foyer is bathed in soft golden light from the chandeliers, yet shadows cling to the corners. Dennis stands at the front, immense and still, like a stone wall. Petra’s hands rest lightly on his arm, her expression unreadable but sharp.

–

Outside the front windows, the faint shimmer of another car pulls my attention. It’s sleek, black, unmarked, but something about the air around it screams controlled power deliberate, not chaotic. My wolf growls low in my chest.

Through the door, a figure steps forward. She’s tall, lean, with dark hair tied back, and her

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+25 Points

the one of someone who has

eyes… my wolf recognizes her immediately. I know that look survived Spencer’s wrath, someone who’s been hunted and yet has chosen to stand.

“She’s one of them.” I murmur, barely audible.

Asher stiffens beside me. “Then she’s exactly where she needs to be.”

The girl’s gaze sweeps the room, finally landing on me. There’s recognition, relief, and determination all mingled into a single look. My pulse accelerates. She steps inside, slow, deliberate, exuding control even as her hands tremble slightly – just enough for me to know she’s human, vulnerable, real.

Behind her, two others follow, flanking her like shadows. My heart clenches. These are the girls Spencer had for months, the ones I promised I’d protect. And now… they’ve come to protect me.

Dennis’s deep voice rumbles from behind me. “Trinity, they’re here for you. Trust them. Trust yourself.”

I swallow hard, feeling a heat rise in my chest. “I… I don’t even know if I can face them.”

The lead girl tilts her head, a small, reassuring smile curving her lips. “You don’t have to face anything alone anymore.” She says. Her voice is steady but quiet, a lifeline thrown across years of fear. “We were in that tunnel as well. And we know the truth.”

Asher tightens his grip on my hand. “Then let’s hear it.” He says. “No more lies. No more hiding. You tell your story, and they tell theirs. Let the council see it all.”

The girl nods once, sharply, and gestures to the other two. “We’re ready.” She says. “We’ll testify. Whatever they say, we’ll back her up. We’ve seen everything.”

My wolf stirs, lifting her head, her eyes glowing behind my own. She wants to roar, to claim victory before the council even has a chance to deliberate. My own voice catches in my throat, but I force it out.

“Then… then let’s go.” I say, my legs trembling with adrenaline.

Dennis steps forward, massive and reassuring. “I’ll stand beside you. Asher will stand beside you. And your pack will stand beside you. No one will touch you while I draw breath.”

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