Queen Eliane's gaze bore into Janet. "I was content to let you be, as long as your petty revenge remained focused on Ethan. But you couldn't help yourself, could you? Your actions spread, and my people were harmed. That, I cannot forgive."
Ethan found his voice at last. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?" he demanded his tone a mixture of anger and confusion.
"My dear Ethan, I am not a subject of your court, nor are you of mine. How would you feel if I intervened in your internal conflicts?" Queen Eliane countered.
Ethan opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. She had a point, even though he hated to admit it.
The Fae Queen's attention returned to Janet, who seemed to shrink under her gaze. "Now, I will be taking her."
Janet's eyes darted around the room, seeking an escape that didn't exist. Ethan could smell her fear, acrid and sharp, cutting through the smoky scent of Queen Eliane's magic. As he watched her panic, Ethan could not feel anything but anger towards her. His father was dead because of her and he couldn't ignore that.
Lily stepped forward. "I know Janet must atone for her actions, but... are we really going to allow Queen Eliane to take her?"
"This is not the time Lily," Lana said. "She is a traitor. What does it matter if she is punished here or with them?"
"It is the right time. How would we explain this? No one knows of her betrayal but us right now," Lily argued. "There are so many that look up to Janet. I am looking at long-term issues with this decision."
"That's not entirely true," Lana said pulling her phone out of her pocket. It was livestreaming. "Milo gave this to me because he doubted the word of a human would be believed."
"Sneaky, sneaky, this one would be a great replacement," Queen Eliane suggested to Ethan.
While the attention was not on Janet, Janet lunged forward now that her strength had returned. Her claws were aimed at Lana, but Queen Eliane caught her in midjump by her throat. "See this is a perfect example of how she does not deserve your mercy, Luna Lily. She deserves cruelty. Even now, she has no remorse and is willing to spill more blood."
"Release her, Queen Eliane. I will deal with her," Ethan said. "I will put her to death right now."
"That is not good enough. Her actions spilled the blood of the youth of my people. As you said, she is under your protection." She turned to face Ethan, her gaze piercing. "Do you want to take her place? Or maybe you want to start a war? She is not worth it. Give her to me. You owe me this."
Ethan's mind raced. For a fleeting second, he hesitated. Then, the voices of his pack flooded his mind. All that had heard this embarrassing drama unfold condemned Janet one by one. Ethan's eyes hardened and took a deep breath before saying, "I, Ethan Blackwood, the Alpha King, reject Janet Blackwood as family and banish her. May she never be accepted by another pack or pride. Let her shame and betrayal be branded on her until the Moon Goddess sees fit to forgive her."
Janet screamed in pain as the familial bond between her and Ethan snapped. Feeling it leave made her feel even more empty than she already felt. Tears streamed down her face as she choked on her sobs.
"Take her," Ethan said, his voice low and resigned. "She's no longer under my protection. She's yours, Queen Eliane."
The Fae Queen's grin widened, revealing teeth too sharp to be human. In an instant, she was beside Janet, gripping her neck once more. "First, I need information," she hissed.
Janet's eyes widened in terror as Queen Eliane placed a hand on her forehead. The scream that tore from Janet's throat was primal, filled with agony as Queen Eliane invaded her mind. Ethan winced, fighting the urge to intervene as Janet writhed under the Fae Queen's touch.
After what felt like an eternity, Queen Eliane's eyes snapped open. "Ah, found it," she said, satisfaction dripping from her words. "Now for your punishment. Such wasted potential... I'll take it from you and give it to someone worthy."
Ethan watched in horrified fascination as Queen Eliane began to chant, her words in a language he couldn't understand. A silvery mist began to seep from Janet's skin, coalescing into a shimmering orb between them.
As the last wisps of silver left Janet's body, Queen Eliane released her grip. Janet collapsed onto the bed, limp as a discarded doll. The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the ragged sound of Janet's breathing.
"What have you done to her?" Lana asked.
Queen Eliane's lips curled into a cruel smile, her ethereal beauty made more terrifying by the malice in her eyes. "I've stripped her of her lycanthropy," she purred, twirling the silvery orb between her fingers. "Janet is now human. A fitting punishment, don't you think? Taking the last thing she had left."
Ethan's mind reeled. He had known Janet would face consequences, but this... this was beyond what he had imagined. A part of him, the part still raw from her betrayal, felt a grim satisfaction. Yet, another part - the leader, the protector - recoiled at the severity of the punishment.
"Was this really necessary?" he found himself asking, even as he knew the answer.
Queen Eliane's laughter rang out, sharp and cutting. "I assumed killing her was off the table since she is your cousin. However, I can quickly rectify that for you."
"No, leave her be," Ethan responded quickly.
"See I knew you had a little darkness in you, my dear Alpha King," Queen Eliane said but her gaze quickly hardened. "Death would have been too easy for her. Now, it's time for you to face your own responsibilities. Get your wolves in order. Your little mate has made quite an opening for us."
Ethan's brow furrowed, confusion and alarm warring within him. "What do you mean, 'an opening'?" he demanded, his alpha aura flaring instinctively.
Queen Eliane merely smirked, already beginning to fade into wisps of blue smoke. "Be patient, all will be revealed, Ethan. Don't disappoint me."