Maikoda: Power of the Moon (Blue Moon Trilogy Book 2) by Adrianna Morgan

responsible for the death of an upstanding citizen.”
                  Layla looked at Acaraho. “I did not kill Wattan.”
                  Acaraho looked back at her with disinterest, his mind clearly made up about her guilt. “If you did not, Ms. Donovan, who did?”
              “I did.”
                  A gasp stole through the crowd as Martin stood. 
                  “Liwanu,” Acaraho warned, “I know you have feelings for the young woman, but do not let it interfere with your good judgment.”
                  Martin straightened and walked towards Kuruk and the dais. “When have I ever let emotions interfere with my job?” he asked coolly as he approached.
                  “Why are you just admitting this now?” Kuruk snapped angrily.
                  Martin looked at him with a layer of frost in his eyes. “Because she was on trial for murder. I wanted the Council to be certain that she did not kill him. Based on her story of what happened and the fight, it is obvious that Ms. Donovan fought back in self-defense. She slit his throat, that is true, but it was not a killing blow. That honor was mine.”
                  Acaraho stared at Martin. “Liwanu.  Kuruk  I want to see you both in my office as soon as we are done here.” He banged the gavel against the wooden podium. “Ms. Donovan, you are free to leave.” 
                  The bones in her feet seemed to turn to mush as the Brett raced across the room and grabbed her to him. The Council members turned away to follow Acaraho and Kuruk glared at her as he rudely brushed past. 
                  Martin gave him a long look before he turned to Layla and Brett. “Go to the Council chambers we were just in and wait for me. Everything is fine now. I won’t be long.”
    *
                  Layla looked up at the brick building. The bright sun contrasted with the chill of the wind as it blew through her hair and her light jacket. With her Were body running on high, she got colder even more quickly when in her human form. Right now, she was freezing and did not want to do anything but stay in her bed and sleep. Unfortunately, she had promised her aunt that she would go back school and, at least, get whatever assignments she needed to complete. 
                  Walking into the Academic Advising office, she quickly wrote her name on the waiting list and sighed as she realized there were about eight others ahead of her. It was going to be a long wait. She had an appointment to see the Director about simply finishing her courses online. Her childhood psychiatrist had given her a note to help with her case and a prescription for something to help with her anxiety and to help her sleep. 
                  She felt a bit guilty about exaggerating what she was feeling, but she wasn’t up to having to sit in a classroom and listen to a lecturer all the time. And the first time she had transformed had been in class. She didn’t trust that her classmates would be safe around her. She also didn’t want a pass. She still wanted to do her work, but she was so unfocused that she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle her midterms in the next two weeks; much less her finals. She definitely needed an extension. 
                  After about fifteen minutes, a stout, older, black lady with bright pink fingernails called her name. She walked over to the desk and sat down. 
                  “Layla Donovan?”
                  “Yes.”
                  “Enrollment status?”
              “Part-time student, undergrad program, Psychology.”
                  The woman typed the information into the computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard surprisingly quickly given the length of her