Chapter 99: The Public Trial And Bella’s Downfall!
Neve managed to drag his feet to the village center.
It was a stressful walk, each step bringing a dull ache through his lower stomach. The pain was making everything harder. But he forced himself to keep moving. He knew he was going to have to deal with pain like this repeatedly if he was truly pregnant. He could not afford to be lazy about it now.
He got there and immediately felt the weight of dozens of eyes on him.
The tribe was split into two distinct groups. The tiger tribe on one side. The leopard tribe on the other. And everyone from both tribes was staring at him like they wanted to drill holes through his body with their eyes alone.
It was hostile. It was thick with resentment.
Neve understood why. He had not just stolen their chief. He had also taken Popi, one of the strongest members of the tiger tribe. He had taken away their resources and their status. From their perspective, Neve was the enemy.
He stood away from both tribes with his people positioned behind him. Kelly and Ryker flanked him protectively. Popi stood nearby. Sorin was there representing the leopard tribe leadership.
Suddenly, Neve felt someone running toward him through the crowd.
Ryker and Kelly’s claws extended immediately, becoming longer and sharper as they stepped in front of Neve defensively.
"Who are you?" Kelly frowned at the approaching figure, his voice carrying a warning.
"Huh? It’s you," Neve said, recognizing the man immediately.
He waved a hand for Ryker and Kelly to stand down. They did, retracting their claws and stepping back slightly.
The man bowed deeply in front of Neve, his body folding in half as a sign of deep respect and gratitude.
"Thank you for saving my life," he said, his voice thick with emotion. Tears were streaming down his face. "Thank you so much. I owe you everything."
Neve felt something twist in his chest.
He did not know how to tell this man that he was partially the cause of his suffering. That Bella had poisoned him deliberately to frame Neve. That this man’s pain was because of a scheme that Bella had created.
It made Neve feel guilty even though he knew logically that it was not his fault.
"It’s fine," Neve said gently, trying to smile despite the pain in his stomach. "As long as you’re fine now. That’s all that matters."
The man stood up, wiping the tears off his cheeks as Neve asked about his condition. He answered enthusiastically, showing how strong he had already become. The poison seemed to have completely worn off and his body had recovered remarkably well.
Then Bella arrived.
She stepped out from the crowd, late as always, making Neve wonder secretly if her girls had already abandoned her. She was not with them this time. She was alone.
Bella walked directly past Neve, shooting him a glare that was full of venom and hatred, before walking to the very front of the gathered crowd. She positioned herself where everyone could see her, clearly hoping that her presence would make people notice how beautiful she was. Like her appearance would distract from whatever was about to happen.
"Okay," Soren stepped forward.
His voice cut through the murmuring crowd like a blade.
"I apologize for starting this meeting late after some of you came earlier," he said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "However, I had to make sure certain people were here before I started. I had to share this news with everyone at once."
Everyone started murmuring and whispering, wondering what he was going to say.
"Are they getting rid of the red panda?" someone asked in the tiger tribe section.
"No way, you know they can’t do that," another replied. "Neve is the mate of the king of beasts. Vaelthorn would burn the entire world if we tried to harm him."
"Who cares about that?" a third voice said. "The leopard tribe should let go of him anyway. He’s caused too much trouble."
Ryker growled beside Neve.
It was soft. Not loud or aggressive. Just a low rumble from deep in his chest that carried a message loud and clear.
’Shut up. Stop talking about him. Or face consequences.’
The crowd quieted immediately.
Soren continued like nothing had happened.
"You see, the leopard tribe has had many rules," Soren said, his voice becoming more serious. "And we have not always been fair in how we have dished out punishments. Sometimes we have shown favoritism. Sometimes we have been too lenient. Sometimes we have been too harsh."
Everyone was listening now, trying to figure out where this was going.
"But today, I want to make sure that we handle this situation fairly. For everyone. For the good of all the tribes."
"Former princess Isabella," he called out.
Bella flinched like she had been hit.
The gossip started immediately among the crowd.
"Bella? Why was she called?"
"Maybe it’s an award meeting. Maybe she’s being recognized for something."
"No, that doesn’t make sense. Why would Soren call her out in front of everyone like this?"
Soren’s expression was cold and calculated.
"Bella here gave very important information to the outcasts," he said, his voice cutting through the whispers. "Information that could put all of our lives in danger."
The crowd gasped in shock.
This was not what anyone had expected.
"What? I was just helping," Bella stuttered, her face flushing bright red where she stood. She tried to defend herself but her voice was weak and unconvincing.
"Helping?" Soren asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You helped betray your own tribe? You helped our enemies gain information that could destroy us all?"
He turned to look at the gathered crowd.
"Bella revealed to an outcast messenger that Neve can cure the golden frog poison," Soren announced. "The most lethal poison in the entire beast world. She gave this information freely to someone from the snake tribe, someone working for the outcast king."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Everyone understood the implications immediately. If the outcasts knew that Neve could cure the golden frog poison, they would want to capture him. They would want to force him to teach them the cure. With that knowledge, the outcasts could become a dominant force in the beast world. They could poison entire tribes. They could hold the world ransom.
All because Bella had betrayed them.
"No, no, no," Bella said, stepping forward. "I was just trying to... I was trying to help the village. I thought if we gave them information, they would leave us alone."
"Too bad no one is here with your punishment the same way, Bella," Soren said with a fake smile that did not reach his eyes.
He looked back at the angry faces in the crowd.
"As for her punishment," Soren continued, his voice becoming louder and more authoritative, "I am announcing that Bella is hereby given the Pariah Status. She is to be De-fanged."
Everyone gasped loudly.