Chapter 47: The Trial
Ralph's trial was held the following morning, at dawn.
It had been a challenge to make the arrangements in less than 24 hours, but Azia and Vivian had seen it through, working through the night to make preparations.
Azia sent messenger after messenger to Zeke, keeping him abreast of their progress. He offered to help time and time again, but Azia refused each time. His place was by his mother's side, in the healer's ward. She wished she and Vivian could also be there, by their friend and Alpha's side.
But dealing with Ralph was urgent business that could not wait. Every time Azia took a moment to pause and think about it, she fought the urge to cry. Ralph had seemed like such a good man, a loyal man. Nobody could have foreseen the depth of his betrayal. Her heart ached at the thought...then she thought about how Zeke and Claudia must have felt, absorbing the news as they remained ensconced in the ward. Ralph was Claudia's brother. And he had clearly wanted her dead.