At Dawn, in the Forest

Chapter 22

"It is of utmost importance, Dawn, that you only speak when spoken to, and when spoken to you have to speak," Caspian warned.

"You cannot become angry in front of them, even when you disagree with their statements," Larisa pressed.

"You have to speak the truth," Mateo said solemnly.

"Look at the person who speaks to you, but not in the eye, that way you may appear challenging, but you also have to acknowledge them when they speak," Rue advised.

"Lastly, you must remain calm," Boaz stressed.

Dawn and her family as the Alphas from the Red Wood Pack as Aiden all arrived at the council's building for the two hearings. One concerning Dawn's status as a wolf in the community and the other regarding the criminal acts of both Dr. Willow and Dr. Klein.

Dawn was appointed a representative during the hearing. His name was Thomas and acted as a lawyer would during a court case. Both the doctors had gotten one as well, to make the hearing fair. Thomas hadn't talked and interacted much with Dawn, but he did try to prepare her as best as he could. He wished he had gotten more time with her, only the people around Dawn didn't want to put too much strain on her as they noticed their sessions were intense. Their first concern was her health after all.

"Yes, all of that is important, but there is one thing that surpasses them all. Be yourself. Show them who you are and what the impact was of those doctors. You may show emotion but silently and it shouldn't interfere with the process of the hearing. Do you understand Dawn?" Thomas asked.

The young woman nodded even though she had a hard time making a difference between showing emotion and showing emotion silently. She got many pieces of advice and her head felt full. Dawn was glad she had a representative. She was afraid she had to do it all alone. The guidance of Thomas would help to highlight the important parts of her case, making it clear where those horrible humans went wrong. For that she was grateful. It also helped that Thomas was patient and knew somehow a way of getting information from her without triggering her trauma.

Thomas shrugged his left arm, making his watch visible, and looked at it. "Alright, it's time. Dawn and others, I will try my very best to get the best outcomes in both cases," He winked and marched his way to the hall where the hearing took place.

Dawn felt lightheaded, her legs wobbled. She was nervous about today. Nervous about seeing Dr. Willow and Dr. Klein again. Nervous for speaking in front of the council. Nervous about her status. Nervous about the punishment the doctors would get. Nervous that the day she hoped for over 3.285 days had finally come, her captures being caught and convicted for their crimes. So much could go wrong and she had no idea how she would deal with that disappointment.

Dawn was so lightheaded and nervous that she didn't notice the beginning of the first case, regarding her status.

"After reviewing Dawn Carson's case regarding her status as a wolf in our community, I don't think we need to debate this for long. There is clear evidence she was taken against her will in a facility, making it impossible for her to claim her place in our community," The older man in the middle of five said. The five people who represented the council were a mix of both genders, three men and two women, all from different descendants. They appeared less intimidating than Dawn imagined them to be.

"Thank you, Your Honour," Thomas said. "I won't mind, of course, making my case for my client before you, but I think everything in front of you in those documents is self-explanatory."

"We agree," The woman on the far right spoke up. "So, not to waste anyone's time we announce that Dawn Carson's status will be set at 'non-chosen', this will give her the same choice as any werewolf coming of age to choose any pack and we will give her two years to make that choice."