Request granted

When the meeting resumed, the Chief Councilman announced it was time for the council to listen to personal petitions. When he invited Eleanor as the first person to make a petition, Thomas’s brow furrowed. She hadn’t told him anything about a petition. Was it related to the new legislation? No, it couldn’t be. Personal petitions did not involve pack affairs. They were used to solve cases that needed the council’s intervention, or cases that only the council could determine. When Eleanor made it to the petitioner’s stand, the Chief Councilman asked, “Luna Eleanor of Blackstorm, what petition would you like to make today?” Eleanor looked all over the hall, met Thomas’s gaze briefly, and then focused on the Chief Councilman. “I would like to request the council to grant me a divorce from my husband, Alpha Thomas of Blackstorm.” A shocked silence gripped the hall for a moment. And then it was raptured by fierce whispers. Thomas’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he shot out of his seat. “What did you say?” he demanded. “Alpha Thomas, please sit down,” the Chief Councilman instructed. “The council needs to hear why your wife wants a divorce.” “She must be joking!” he cried out. “Sit down, please,” the Chief Councilman requested firmly. Thomas cursed and sat back down, his body trembling with rage. He could not believe this! When had she decided to make such a petition? “Luna Eleanor, why do you want to divorce your husband?” the Chief Councilman asked. The hall fell into silence again as everybody waited to hear her reason. “A while back,” Eleanor started, “my husband, Alpha Thomas, found his mate. Instead of rejecting her because we had already marked each other, he brought her to our pack and insisted that she lives with us. This was despite my reluctance. Seeing this, I have decided to divorce him since he wants to stay with his mate.” The Chief Councilman turned to Thomas. “Is this true, Alpha Thomas?” Thomas shot to his feet. “It’s true that I brought back my fated mate to the pack. But I only did it because she had suffered in her previous pack and had nowhere to go. It was impossible for me to leave my mate in such a condition, so I brought her with me to keep her safe. Also, I did it because of my wolf, because being close to my mate is beneficial for him. I explained all of this to my wife, but she refused to understand.” “You’ve already mated with her,” Eleanor said. “Was that also so that you could keep her safe and for the sake of your wolf?” A frustrated look crossed over Thomas’s face. “Eleanor, if only you’d let me explain–” Eleanor turned to the Chief Councilman. “Sir, my husband has not treated me as his wife since he brought his mate back,” she interrupted Thomas’s plea. “He made all decisions about his relationship with her on his own discretion and allowed her to disrespect me on numerous occasions. It’s only a matter of time before he gives her my Luna position. In view of this, I would like to end our marriage immediately and leave him free to do as he wants with his mate.” “That’s impossible,” Thomas claimed. “What if you have conceived and there’s a child on the way? You cannot end this marriage in that case!” Eleanor opened her clutch and retrieved a sheet of paper. “This here is the result of my medical examination.” She handed the paper to an assistant who took it over to the Chief Councilman. “It confirmed that I’m not pregnant, therefore I can still proceed with the divorce.” After the Chief Councilman perused the medical report, he instructed the assistant to show it to Thomas. Thomas grabbed the paper and scanned it. Eleanor was right, she was not pregnant. His angry eyes lifted to her. So this was her plan all along. She had pretended to intend to work on their relationship after the summit, claiming she was busy with the legislation. All she had been doing was buying time so he wouldn’t prevent her from making this petition. “Sir,” he said, “I do not think my wife’s grounds for seeking divorce are enough. She should have mentioned her intention to me, and I would have rectified what she did not like.” “Did your wife make it clear that she did not want your mate to live with you?” the Chief Councilman asked. “Yes, but–” “Did you allow your mate to disrespect your wife, who is also your pack’s Luna?” “There were some misunderstandings, but it was never intentional.” “Did you have sexual relations with your mate?” Thomas folded his hands into fists, his jaw clenching. “Only because my wife refused to fulfil her duties.” “That’s all,” the Chief Councilman said, dismissing him. There was another short break while the council deliberated on the petition. A huge cloud of suspense and tension hung over the hall. Finally, the Chief Councilman delivered his ruling. “On this day, I hereby grant Luna Eleanor Louise Lim of the Blackstorm Pack’s request to terminate her marriage with Alpha Thomas Edward Smith of the Blackstorm Pack. In accordance with the new legislation on women’s rights, she’s entitled to half of the property and land owned by Alpha Thomas. I hereby direct the relevant department to oversee the transfer of the necessary assets.” As the hall broke out in murmurs, Thomas slammed his fist on the table. “What do you mean half of my property and land? There’s no such law!” “Did you not read the legislation that you proposed and which was just approved?” Eleanor asked him. “Or do you, its sponsor, want to be the first to break it?” “Nonsense!” he snapped. “I did not see such a clause. Sir, this is not right!” “I suggest you take another look at the new law, Alpha Thomas,” the Chief Councilman advised. “One of the main clauses gives women equal rights to family and marital property. How can you forget about it when you drafted it?” Thomas looked at Eleanor, who had a wide smile on her face. She was even tearing up in joy! How dare she play him like this? It had all been a setup to ensure her freedom! He had been so mistaken thinking he could keep her at the pack for as long as he wanted. He crossed the floor to her and grabbed her hand. “We need to talk privately,” he said, pulling her from the stand. She tried to tug away her hand to no avail. “It’s done, Thomas. Let go of me.” “Let go of my mate!” A roar resounded through the hall as Henry rushed towards them. Thomas turned to him, a frown on his face. “What?” “I said get your hands off my mate right fucking now!”